


Revolutionary Girl Utena commentary

by Wicked08



Category: Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Attempt at Humor, F/F, Gen, Humor, I'm reviewing the entire show so the themes will get pretty dark, Suicide Attempt, suicide idealation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2018-12-30 00:22:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 19
Words: 43,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12096627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wicked08/pseuds/Wicked08
Summary: I'm commenting on and attempting to analyze the entire series of Revolutionary Girl Utena. God help Me.





	1. Rosy Beginnings

How this fic will be structured is I’ll, seriously or otherwise, summarize what’s happening, occasionally write the dialogue characters say and in parenthesis I’ll write my personal analyzing or commentary ex. ((That scene was interesting because of reasons.))

 

Revolutionary Girl Utena is one of my favorite anime series. It masterfully brings us into a world combining reality with fairy tales and deconstructs gender roles, romantic ideals, and abuse by slowly showing how easily one can fall into the trap of enforcing gender stereotypes, romanticizing sexist men, and how victim blaming comes to be especially since abuse can easily be hidden. It’s also a show where a girl turns into a cow and guys randomly take off their shirts, but we’ll get to that later.

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Our story begins with Utena as a child, who at this point is a princess in this story, telling the audience the story of how after her parents died she met a kind prince who comforted her and said that she should never loose her nobility as she grew up, giving her a ring saying that they’ll meet again one day.

((Aww what a sweet simple story. I’m sure that no important details were left out.))

Utena: Perhaps the ring the prince gave her was an engagement ring.

((That sounds like something I’d want to know for sure.))

Utena: …but so impressed was she by him that the princess vowed to become a prince herself one day.

((I’m happy that the show tells us from the beginning that Utena growing up as “a prince” or doing things more associated with boys is a conscious choice on her part. The works Princess Knight and Rose of Versailles while amazing shoes in their own right and show action heroines defying gender roles battling in a way that girls who don’t relate to the roles assigned to them by birth have a hero to look up to, a fatal mistake that I personally don’t like is how in those series the father is the one who decides to raise the girls “as a boy” from the moment said girls are born. It unfortunately carries the implication that girls can do awesome heroic battles but only if a man lets them do it first.))

Cut to the present where Wakaba is waiting for her “boyfriend”, Utena. Wakaba hears that Utena already left the dorms so she runs to school in the hopes of not being late.

((A moment of silence for all anime side characters who have to deal with the main characters’ foolishness.))

We get a look at the scenery of Ohtori academy, a large boarding school with a k-12 school system, a dueling arena forest, and the chairman’s tower, which resembles a giant dick taking after its current owner.

Utena shows up in her iconic black jacket and red booty shorts standing out from the sea of white and green. A guidance counselor shows up trying to get Utena in trouble for wearing a “boy’s uniform.” Since there’s nothing in the school rulebook about dressing like a guy Utena just goes on her merry way.

((What interests about exchange is when Utena looks back saying “it looks good enough on the boys here” we get an explicit shot of the uniforms the guys are wearing and they look **nothing like hers**. At first watching I assumed it was because Utena’s the main character so obviously she’d look different from everyone else, but given the rampant symbolism in the show it’s more like an early warning to the audience, “what you see isn’t exactly what you’re going to get.”))

Utena spends the day being her usual cool self: scoring baskets in basketball, being surrounded by adoring female fans, and is even asked for a permanent position on the school’s basketball team to which Utena says she’s a girl so getting covered in guys sweat isn’t her thing. When told she already acts and looks like a guy anyway she replies

Utena: [It’s] to become a prince… I want to be a noble prince who saves princesses.

((Utena makes it clear that by acting like a prince she doesn’t want to be like a boy. Instead she wants to be what the prince archetype represents: a strong, noble, and brave individual who saves others, mostly girls, from the evils of the world and from themselves.))

Utena smells the scent of, you guessed it, roses, and the camera pans to the school’s rose garden where we see Anthy.

((The way Anthy is introduced is different from how the other named female characters have been introduced so far. Wakaba was introduced face first, albeit indirectly. Utena walks in with the camera panning upwards from her feet to her head in a heroic and makes her look badass. Anthy however is introduced the same way as Utena however Anthy is facing away from the audience indicating Anthy’s passive nature. However while the last thing we see from these two are their faces Anthy’s face is the one we get a close up on. It’s to show that despite Anthy’s passiveness we should not underestimate her and this show is every bit of her story as it is Utena’s.))

The scent of roses makes Utena start remembering the past so as time goes by she heads upstairs to stare wistfully at her ring. Snapping out of her funk, Utena looks down and sees Anthy being lectured by dickhead. Utena really starts paying attention after dickhead slaps Anthy, only stopping when Touga grabs his wrist.

((Anthy and dickhead a.k.a. Saionji’s “relationship” is pretty much a cut and paste example of how most abusive relationships are portrayed in media. Saionji is the big bad man who always hits his girlfriend for no reason, and gives the audience very little reason to understand why anyone would date that jerk in the first place. Anthy is the good little victim who never gets angry with him despite constant cruelty and is always sweet in the face of abuse, leaving the audience to both feel sorry for her while simultaneously wondering how stupid this girl must be to date him in the first place. Anthy’s situation is more complicated than that, as seen later in the episode.))

Wakaba springs into the picture jumping onto Utena’s back to tease Utena about leaving her behind that morning, and also to give the audience some exposition. She gives the official names of Anthy, Touga, and unfortunately Saionji, meaning I can no longer call him dickhead. The guys are popular and the leaders of the student council, while Anthy is just “some weird girl in their class.”

Utena: So is Saionji going out with Himemiya or what?

Wakaba: No way! Someone as cool as Saionji would never fall for a girl like that! They’re just together because they’re both on the student council

((What the series subtlety does with Saionji is that even with his apparent dickishness he’s still a popular guy, a quality that is important for many a high school student. The common core of abuse is control and power; Saionji’s popularity means that he has the social control to get away with being openly abusive or, as evidenced by Wakaba’s statement, deny the relationship altogether if confronted about it.))

Utena easily guesses that Wakaba’s instant support of Saionji means she likes him.

((Well that won’t cause problems down the road.))

Later the student council gathers to discuss Saionji’s treatment of the Rose bride, Anthy.

Touga: True you are currently engaged to her, but that doesn’t mean you’re free to treat her as you please.

((You tried to slap her twice in one episode, when we all agreed to a one slap per episode rule. We may be dysfunctional assholes but even we have standards.))

Miki: *upset* As he pleases

Juri: *smirking* As he pleases

((As established in later episodes Miki projects the feelings he once had for his sister onto Anthy and because of that he idolizes her, thus the abuse Anthy faces horrifies him. Juri on the other hand projects the feelings for Shiori onto Anthy and given Juri’s complicated feelings for Shiori seems pretty ok with Saionji doing whatever the hell he wants.))

Touga reminds Saionji that their leader End of the World might not be ok with slapping Anthy Saionji dismissed that concern saying “the bride and I are just a happy pair of lovebirds.”

Anthy: *Oh, whoa is my life! tone* For now I am… Saionji-sama’s bride. I will do whatever Saionji-sama tells me to do.

((Anthy: *internally * Can we make this quick I’m missing some quality rose watering time, 3 of my pets have to be fed, and class is about to end which means I’ve been dealing with people for far too long.))

Saionji says, hey if you don’t like it then fight me, and he looks forward to the new duelist Touga brings up.

((At this point, I’m looking forward to it too.))

Around the time of the meeting Wakaba and Utena are chilling by the school, and Utena gives a condensed version of how she got the ring, Wakaba, unsurprisingly, is a little confused. Wakaba relates by saying she thought she was princess of the onion kingdom when she was little because her mom told her that.

((Children are highly impressionable.))

Utena sees a love letter posted on the class bulletin board, and *gasp* it’s Wakaba’s love letter to Saionji.

((Oh Saionji you are going down!))

Utena confronts Saionji who’s just “meh” about the whole thing until Utena challenges him to a duel agreeing to meet in the forest arena.

Cut to the shadow girls

((Oh god this is going to be one hell of a trip.))

Shadow girl 1: Do you know? Do you know? Have you heard the news?

Shadow girl 2: There’ll be another duel today in the forest behind the school.

1: Oh brave hero! Brave hero who fights for her friend’s sake

Both girls: But be careful brave hero. There are rules in the forest. Do you know what they are? Do you know? Do you know? Do you really know?

((The shadow girls’ role in the story is pretty simple; through the use of symbolism they tell the theme for the episode. In this episode they’re saying to Utena that while she is admirable for helping her friend, her rash decision to decide to duel without knowing the consequences of that action are going to cause problems down the road.))

Utena heads to the forest and after getting a drop of water on her rose ring realizes her ring is a key to the dueling arena.

((How convenient))

After a minute and a half of stock footage Utena climbs the 70 flights of stairs leading to the dueling arena where she sees a castle floating above her. Saionji shows up and says not to worry about the castle.

Saionji: [The castle is] a kind of mirage. Think of it as a trick of the light.

((Damn in episode 38 I was shocked when it was revealed that the castle that grants whatever wish one desires was a fake image created to manipulate others to do Akio’s bidding, but they outright tell us it’s an illusion in the first episode.))

Utena becomes more confused when Saionji shows he wears the same rose seal as she does and even more so when Anthy shows up in a red dress to put roses on their shirts. Anthy’s said to be the rose bride whose role is to watch the duelists. Once the rose is knocked off then the duelist looses.

Anthy: Good luck *Saionji immediately slaps her*

Saionji then reminds her that as the rose bride she is basically his possession, and he’s entitled to all her affection.

((So going by the plot of just this episode, Revolutionary Girl Utena is a show where a bunch of lighter skinned characters battle so they can own a darker skinned girl… I can understand how some people would be turned off by this premise.))

Anthy: *dramatically* Forgive me Saionji-sama

Utena: Are you nuts? Why would you take that from this guy?

Anthy: Because Saionji-sama is the current champion duelist I have to do whatever he wants me to.

((Anthy’s shown herself in later episodes to be calculating in her actions, and through the entire show, including this scene, reminds Utena she’s the rose bride and her role is to *insert specific rule*. So why would Anthy wish Utena good luck when she’s supposed to say “Oh Saionji you’re the greatest please fight and win me in this valiant battle” while internally screaming. Well two reasons, the first is that Akio’s plan is later revealed for Utena to fight and win battles with all the duelists, and she knows she’ll have to be faithful to Utena in a couple of minutes. The second is more personal. Anthy wants to see how Utena will react to the slap since the two of them will have to live closely for the rest of the series. If Utena is indifferent or ok with the slap then Anthy will know that things will be more or less the same with Utena as it was with Saionji, if Utena is horrified by the slap then hey at least that’s one less person slapping her.))

Utena: I don’t know what’s going on here, but I just have to beat him right?

The camera cuts to show Anthy is genuinely surprised by Utena’s statement.

((We rarely if ever see Anthy’s internal thoughts through the show, and most times she’s on screen she has a neutral face or showing off an empty smile so any other expression Anthy makes through the series is extremely important. Question is, why would Utena having no idea about the duels surprise Anthy? Simply put Anthy has been the rose bride for years, most likely centuries and from what we’ve seen from all the duelists in the series while each duelist has their own motive for fighting their underlying goal is to possess her in order to obtain whatever it is they say their fighting for. Utena genuinely doesn’t know that Anthy is the duel’s prize and her motive for fighting is that she wants to take Saionji down a peg for hurting her friend. Of course this being Revolutionary Girl Utena, a show where characters have complex good and bad qualities, another hidden motive for Utena is to protect her honor as a “prince” to satisfy her ego. Still her intentions are good, and this is likely to be the first time Anthy has seen someone selflessly fighting, for the most part, since her brother was still going by Dios.))

Anthy calls forth the sword of Dios so Saionji can grab it from her boobs, and once the bells ring the duel officially starts.

Saionji insults Utena through the duel saying she’s good for a girl belittling her desire to be a prince, knocking her down and destroying her wooden sword.

Utena: That trick sword…is it real?

Saionji: (paraphrased) No sh*t Sherlock

Utena isn’t willing to back down causing Saionji to dismissively say he’ll just cut her rose off so she can go her pretty little way. Utena charges at him remembering what the prince said to her when they met. With one fatal stroke Utena wins the duel with her blunt wooden sword and Saionji collapses in shock.

((Throughout the duel the song playing throughout represents the point of view of the challenging duelist so the song is about Utena’s role in the duel thus far. It starts by questioning what the hell is going on, which no doubt is a question going through everyone’s mind in this scene. The song goes on to say that over time she’s grown to repress her memories because they have brought her great pain and wants to live her life in bliss, because she’s living her life as “an actor” playing the part of prince as a result of the sadness of the deaths she’s seen, namely her parents. Nevertheless she’ll continue to “brightly burn” and will live her life as free and full as she can, being reborn through powerful moments that she will hopefully cause.))

Saionji looks up at Anthy to gauge her reaction

Anthy: Cheer up Saionji… senpai.

((In Kill bill there is a scene where O-Ren-Ishi refers to a guy by his name and adding the san honorific at the end. Once he insults her nationality she removes the honorific from his name before brutally murdering him. Metaphorically speaking this is what Anthy does to Saionji in this scene. By removing the -sama honorific she’s either telling him that he no longer has the respect she had for him when she used that honorific or, more likely, that he never had that respect in the first place.))

((On a wider scale this one line connects with the show’s theme of abuse. Abuse is often a very restrictive and controlling environment where the victim is often afraid of their abuser while simultaneously afraid of leaving the abusive environment. Anthy gives as much thought to leaving Saionji as one would give to swatting a mosquito, showing that while Saionji definitely has the qualities of an abuser and is the last person I would want anyone in the series to date, he’s still not Anthy’s primary abuser in the sense that when all’s said and done Saionji is just a tool used to hurt Anthy directly.))

Pan to Touga who has been watching the duel the entire time.

Touga: Oh, yes, baby. You’ve lit the fire to my heart.

((Well you’ve just gone from mildly ok to extremely creepy in .2 seconds.))

Later that night…

Utena: Man, this has been one truly weird day…. better to just forget about it.

((Oh honey you’ve got a storm coming to you))

Anthy appears to tell Utena the condition of the duel she just fought earlier.

Anthy: I am the rose bride. From this day forward, I belong to you.

((If you listen closely you can hear the sound of 1000 fanfics being written.))


	2. Rosy beginnings part 2: The return of dickhead

Things seem normal at Ohtori academy the students are chipper, the weather is nice, Utena’s legion of lesbian fans are willing to murder just so she can step on them.

Utena walks into class hoping Wakaba has recovered from yesterday’s event and Wakaba is…fine. It helps that she read a book about how an awesome guy shows up to sweep a girl off her feet after another guy dumped her. She even jumps on Utena claiming she’s always known Utena was her true love.

((Wakaba is the type to push her feelings down so she’s most likely just putting on a happy face for Utena and hasn’t gotten over Saionji’s prank. Still it’s nice that Wakaba finds some comfort in a cheesy romance novel.))

Utena looks up to see Anthy walking through the classroom door reminded of the previous day’s events.

Meanwhile with the student council

Touga: If it cannot break its shell, a chick will die without being born. We are the chick. The world is our egg. If we don’t crack the world’s shell we will die without being born. Smash the world’s shell! For the revolution of the world.

((This sounds like a fake deep poetry reading during a high school English class. How much do you want to bet Touga spent 30 minutes in his room marveling at how “deep and meaningful” his insight is.))

The student council plays a card game discussing the letters they’ve all gotten from End of the World, and how they need to follow his instructions in every last detail.

((One of the members throws the letter down on the card table indicating that for the student council following end of the world’s orders is just a game to them.))

The group discusses how unusual it is for Utena to have a rose seal since she’s not a member of the student council. While Miki doesn’t seem to care, and Touga’s only concerned about his boner, Juri points out that it’s strange they don’t know anything about Utena. The group decides since end of the world’s letters are “honest” they’ll just continue fighting until they have the power to revolutionize the world.

((After going on about how accurate end of the world’s letters are the camera cuts to show joker cards implying that end of the world is just playing them.))

Back at school Wakaba is disappointed that they have to have separate rooms, but Utena is understandable about the whole thing since “the student council decides [room assignments].”

((How convenient))

Utena arrives at her building and no one else is inside so she heads to her room. Utena opens her room and sees the room is extremely dirty and broken down. Agonizing over the thought of cleaning she waits a while to open the door again only to open it and see Anthy has cleaned and fixed up the entire room.

((Almost like magic))

Utena questions why Anthy would be there if her room is a single only to see that Anthy has written her name on the door realizing Anthy is now crashing with her

((Anthy your dedication to being the rose bride while heartbreaking, can be pretty funny at times.))

Utena: Funny coincidence huh us two being roommates.

((Yes it’s definitely a coincidence that Anthy, a person the student council fights to win over, has been paired with you, the person who just won her in the previous duel.))

Anthy says no it’s not, it’s the rules of the rose seal, remember the last episode I’m the rose bride I have to be engaged to you, all that jazz.

The two start to talk it out over tea

Utena: First question, what’s with the mirage castle and trick sword?

Anthy: Mysteries

((While Anthy has many roles in Akio’s plan one of her secondary tasks is the role of secret keeper. In order for Akio’s plan to work, the fantasy world has to stay intact for Utena to be motivated to enter the castle so he can get her power so he can regain the power he lost. What Anthy gets from keeping this secret is, well at this point in the series Anthy is entirely devoted to her brother and wants him to regain his power out of her love and devotion towards him to the point that being a glorified personal slave is just an inconvenience, so naturally keeping a secret or two isn’t a problem for her.))

Utena: If you don’t know then why do you do that?

Anthy: Why do you always dress like a boy, Miss Utena?

Utena: What, this? Well…. Because I like to.  
Anthy: That’s my answer.

((On the surface these two questions are innocent, however both the reasons Utena acts like a prince and Anthy acts as the rose bride are seeped in heart beak and symbolic drama. Utena doesn’t remember the entire story of the prince because of years of denial and pushing down her feelings. Anthy however just doesn’t want to tell Utena how she became the rose bride, which is understandable since I wouldn’t tell anyone my favorite color after knowing them for just 24 hours let alone a tragic backstory that made me who I am today.))

Anthy asks if “our” being there was a problem, introducing Chu-Chu her friend, a 5-inch tall monkey. Utena’s a little skeptical by Anthy referring to him as a friend rather than pet, but decides to play along by introducing herself to him, even asking if he’ll be her friend too.

((A common theory is that Chu-Chu is an extension of her emotions for several reasons. The first is that he warms up to Utena immediately; the second is that he hates Saionji and Anthy and Akio’s “brother-sister bonding time,” and he aids a little in trolling Nanami. While that theory does have merits for those above reasons I have to disagree with it for two reasons. One is how Anthy doesn’t immediately warm up to Utena, hell it takes her 25 episodes to even get up the courage to try telling Utena she hates being the rose bride, and the second because Anthy is **extremely** devoted to her brother for a long portion of the series to the point where I think she didn’t even begin actively disliking him until the 25th episode.))

Utena starts getting a little uncomfortable by Anthy constantly referring to her as “miss” Utena, so hoping to change the subject starts asking about the rings.

Anthy: All the members of the student council wear them. It’s a rose seal. Whomever wears that ring is marked as a duelist. So now that you’re the current dueling champion the others who wear the rose seal will come to challenge you to duels.

((Also the sky is blue, we are currently in middle school, and anime characters, unless stated otherwise, are Japanese. Any more questions?))

Utena: I have no intention of fighting these meaningless duels!

Anthy: *sips her tea*

((Anthy: *internally* You say that now but I’ll wait until my being the rose bride can benefit you.))

As all this is going on Saionji is in the kendo club looking at a pair of swords.

((Either he’s deciding whether to challenge Utena to a duel or he’s trying to learn sword fighting through osmosis.))

Turns out he’s just practicing, until Touga randomly shows up.  
((Did he just teleport into the room? I swear I didn’t hear any footsteps.))

Saionji is relatively nice to Touga, until Touga asks if he’ll challenge Utena to another duel

Saionji: Of course, the power to bring the world revolution belongs to me. That’s girl’s engagement to the rose bride is a mistake.

((Besides this statement proving Saionji’s living up to my crude nickname, it makes explicit one of the show’s repeated motives of other characters claiming to care about Anthy but are just using her for material gain.))

Saionji then flips when Touga points out that Anthy belonging to the winner of the duels is literally the first rule of what they’re doing.

Saionji: [Anthy]’s to do as I command, forever. That’s what’s written in my exchange diary.

((Before I found out what an exchange diary was: Yes and when I was in elementary school I’d write in my diary about how I’d become a famous supermodel/astronaut/princess by the time I turned 16 but that hasn’t exactly worked out for me.))

((After I found out: What clearly happened was Anthy was busy doing everything more important than writing in your exchange diary, which is to say literally everything else, and just wrote “Sure, whatever I’ll do what you want.” She then returned the diary so she could hang out with Chu-Chu in peace.))

Touga: (internally: WTF) You keep an exchange diary?

Back at the dorm, Utena does not love her isolated living situation, but things become more exciting when Chu-Chu shows up to get Utena to move her ass so she can help Anthy.

Saionji’s outside asking why Anthy won’t be with him so Anthy repeats herself by saying she’s engaged to Utena so whatever emotions he showed toward him are all in the past, so she politely asks him to back the f*ck off.

((Well this is actually a relatively civil conversation))

Saionji slaps Anthy

((I take that back))

((Anthy looks upset whenever she’s holding the area Saionji slapped however the borderline tears are probably more for Utena since at this point in the series Anthy’s side role as rose bride has her try to get others to duel with Utana, while giving Utena a reason to win. That isn’t to say Anthy is enjoying the abuse, if it were up to Anthy she’d most likely stay inside her room glaring at Saionji while giving him the middle finger, but Anthy is so accustomed to her role as rose bride at this point in the series she puts on more dramatic emotions to get others to help in Akio’s plan rather than based on her own feelings. The only time one can truly rely on how Anthy feels in the series is to pay attention to her actions when no one is looking.))

Utena shows up, extremely pissed at Saionji for hurting Anthy. Saionji challenges Utena to a duel a second time, even stepping on Chu-Chu for good measure because…I’m assuming he felt he didn’t do enough dick-ish things that day. Utena refuses at first but reluctantly accepts after Saionji says those who oppose the student council end up “disappearing.” Saionji walks off feeling triumphant.

Anthy: Didn’t you say you weren’t going to fight any more duels?

Utena: No choice. If I don’t fight him, I’ll get kicked out of here. Well I’ll just purposely lose, so there’s no problem.

(( Utena’s lack of concern over Anthy at this point in the series is a little disturbing,, especially after witnessing Saionji slapping Anthy 3 times in 2 days. Even so I understand where Utena’s coming from. Firstly Utena feels that, even though she doesn’t hurt Anthy directly, by actively participating in the duels it will just contribute to Anthy’s status as a possession. Secondly what’s typical in fiction is when the damsel in distress character is miserable, she tells others how miserable she is and how badly she wants to get out. Anthy on the other hand doesn’t say anything negative about being the rose bride leading Utena and by extension the audience to think Anthy likes, or at least doesn’t mind, being the rose bride. It’s a subtle element to the story that also reflects everyday life where the typical response to abuse is “well if they were really abused then why didn’t they say anything earlier” a less-than-subtle extension of victim blaming))

Anthy: Of course. Do as you please

Back with the shadow girls the two act out a play where the hero looses intentionally by being shot by the villain, but ends with the two saying the loosing “losing may be harder than you think.”

((I think it’s obvious how this relates to the plot of the episode. The shadow girls are saying that the choice to play to win can be either more tempting or easier than loosing. What the cactus symbolizes I have no idea, I’m assuming the animators just wanted to make sure we realized the play had a western theme.))

Utena heads to the dueling arena still willing to fight even after climbing all those stairs.

((If I had to climb those stairs every time I had to duel there would be no need to loose on purpose I’d just collapse as soon as I hit the top.))

Once Utena gets to the top, the show gives us a glimpse of Anthy’s magical powers by showing her casting some kind of spell to create a small amount of fancy detail on Utena’s uniform.  
((Seems Anthy isn’t as helpless as the show first led us to believe.))

After Anthy puts the roses on both duelists’ chests and the rules are reiterated Anthy calls forth the sword of Dios

((Utena’s inner monologue while pulling out the sword: Ok…so how does Anthy get the sword to appear, is there, like, some internal cavity where she can store it? Wait! What if I accidentally touch her boob will she be ok, I mean… it is accidentally? Now I’m thinking about her boobs. Is it weird I’m thinking about Anthy’s boobs? Nothing weird right just gals being pals, **I’m 100% straight**.))

With the duel officially starting Utena unexpectedly puts up a good fight.

We get a little pan shot to Anthy whose glasses show a reflection of Utena deciding to fight for real.

((Whenever we see a reflection in Anthy’s glasses we get a small indication that Anthy’s extreme doormat nature is just a façade and how she’s fully aware of how the characters actions are going to affect the rest of the plot. Right now though it’s Anthy internally praising every deity in existence because everything’s going according to plan.))

Saionji starts bragging about his swordsmanship abilities and goes on about how Anthy and the sword belong to him when Utena’s ring brings forward Dios himself who merges with Utena while a white rose obscures the actual “merging” act.

((For this one second I choose to ignore the duality of Akio and Dios and instead choose to view this as a g-rated action since Dios is still a child.))

Once the two have merged Utena knocks the rose off of Saionji’s chest and chops the blade off his sword ((Which I’m sure the phallic imagery was entirely intentional)) proving her original win wasn’t a fluke, and everyone **including** Anthy is surprised at what just happened.

((If Anthy is surprised at something happening then you can be sure it was unexpected.))

((As for what the duel song lyrics symbolize…yeah I got nothing. I think back when the episode was written the job for writing the song lyrics went to some poor college intern who got the lyrics mixed up with their notes for their paleontology class. “Let’s see 3 billion years ago life began. The eras were Cambrian, Ordovician, Sillurian, Denovian. Oh God what else? Triassic Jurassic, Cretaceous.” Ikuhara looked at those paleontology notes and thought it was a beautiful masterpiece of symbolism.))

Back at the dorm Utena is enjoying dessert, or more accurately enjoying trolling Chu-Chu, by gently pushing him be when he tryies to eat Utena’s dessert.

Anthy shows up late that night, enjoying the domestic view of Utena chilling with a cake covered Chu-Chu.

Anthy: You didn’t purposefully lose?

Utena: I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Chu-Chu

((Oh really now?))  
Anthy: *visible look of confusion * Huh?

Utena: If you went with Saionji, He’d just tease Chu-Chu.

((Utena you amazing tsundere.))

Chu-Chu nods in agreement with this obviously factual statement.

The episode ends with Anthy giving one of her trademark victory smiles.

((And why shouldn’t she. Anthy’s had a relatively good day. Everything’s going according to plan, she’s living with someone who respects her wishes enough to talk to Chu-Chu as a friend rather than a pet, and she saw Dios for the first time in ages.))


	3. Dancing queen

The episode begins with Utena asleep and her dream rehashing the totally real story of how she got her rose crest.

Utena: All I have really is this ring. It’s the only proof I have that I actually met him…could this ring have led me to all of this?

((Due to personal experience, I find names and addresses are more reliable in finding someone or something than jewelry.))

Utena stops thinking about her prince when Anthy enters the room preferring to spend time together.

((A statement that can summarize the entire show.))

At breakfast Utena asks whether anyone would join them for meals.

Anthy: Isn’t it nice how quiet it is.

Utena: I know you keep to yourself in class, but do you really have no friends at all?

Anthy: I do. Right here. *points to Chu-Chu*

((Here we get a glimpse of Anthy’s generally negative view of humanity. Anthy doesn’t have any interest in being around others for understandable reasons that will be covered later in the show, but for now that dislike is exacerbated by two things: 1. “End of the world” a.k.a. Akio is in charge of whom Anthy lives with and in general spends most of her time with, the duelists. From what we see of the other duelist’s living arrangement they’re equally as isolated as Utena’s meaning Anthy up until now has spent most of her life around those who view her as a possession, abuse her, or just hate her in general. 2. Whenever Anthy is seen around other members of the school who aren’t duelists they either bully Anthy or think she’s weird and just ignore her.))

Back at school Utena’s trying to get Anthy to stop calling her “Miss” or “Master” Utena, amidst some random high school girls calling Utena the same thing.

Anthy: :)

Utena: *somewhat hypocritically* they can call me miss Utena. But it’s not a joke when you say it.

((Ah yes, pointing to the age-old media trope where girl-guy attraction is genuine and romantic whereas girl-girl or guy-guy attraction is portrayed at best, “just joking around”))

Utena: Would you give it a rest with that “engaged” and “Rose bride” stuff?! Look despite appearances, I’m a totally normal girl. I don’t want a bride. All I want is a totally normal boy.

((I’m really happy that Utena develops romantic feelings for Anthy later on in the series because it transforms moments like this from a straight girl making ignorant comments with an undertone of “eww girls who like girls are gross” to starting the character arc of how Utena’s a bisexual, or lesbian, girl internalizing homophobic attitudes society shoved down her throat, and her story is about becoming comfortable enough in her feelings for Anthy to throw away those ideas of obligatory heterosexuality and act on them accordingly.))

Touga takes that as a cue to hit on Utena

Touga: I’m Touga Kiryuu…a totally normal boy.

Anthy: Good morning

Utena: *suspicious* Know him?

((Why would you care utena, after all you said you’re only into guys ;) ))

Touga asks if Utena told anyone about the duels, with Utena saying “no everyone will think I’m batsh*t if I talked about half the things I’ve been through.”

Touga creepily runs his fingers through Utena’s hair, causing Utena to dramatically slap his hand away.

((So basically:

Utena: I want to date a guy

Guy: *obviously hits on her*

Utena: back the f*ck up))

Touga shows Utena the duelist’s rose ring, causing Utena to wonder if he’s the prince from her childhood.

((The whole Touga may or may not be the prince stems from a subplot the original manga had. In the manga it made sense with the art style caused everyone to have the same skin color and we couldn’t tell what hair color the characters had. In the anime this makes considerably less sense with the audience wondering how the hell Utena could confuse a dark skinned guy with purple hair to a lighter skinned guy with red hair.))

Touga: I’d like to get to know you much better.  
((Touga that’s too sleazy for **porn** much less a shoujo anime.))

A student council meeting begins after Touga dramatically recites his chicken poem. The group discusses the duel from the previous episode.

Miki: Saionji’s been in his room since yesterday. I don’t think he’s coming to class today.

((The image of Saionji dramatically storming off to his room after his girlfriend starts dating someone else is probably the most realistic teenager thing in this anime.))

Juri wants to know Utena’s motives for fighting and Touga’s response is basically the shrug emoji thus ending the meeting.

Back in class Wakaba “interrupts” Utena’s angsting over Touga and says that falling for him may not be the best idea since he’s a huge playboy. Utena agrees saying there’s no way a playboy can be her prince.

((Side question: How does Touga find time in high school to be a playboy? With 7-8 hours of class in addition to homework from said classes, student council duties, and paying attention to the dueling plans I’m surprised he has time to sleep.))

Wakaba asks Utena who her roommate is she’s told it’s Anthy Himemiya well…

Wakaba: Really? Too bad… I hear lots of bad rumors about what she did to a popular boy.

((Wow these early episodes have heaps of foreshadowing. But yeah Anthy is doomed forever to live as a social pariah based on some vague rumor.))

Meanwhile a few Nanami’s posse decides the Anthy slap meter isn’t high enough and starts harassing her.

Keiko: It’s all your fault. Saionji’s ruined because you made a fool of him!

((Well to be fair Utena was the one who defeated him. Then again Utena’s more likely to directly kick your ass. On a different note Keiko, the posse member leading the slap fest, is conveniently the member chosen to become a rose duelist during the black rose arc…))

Nanami shows up and stops the girls from further harming Anthy. Saying if they have a problem they need to take it up with the student council. Nanami asks if Anthy’s ok, something that seemingly confuses Anthy, and even strikes up a conversation flattering Anthy. Apparently Anthy is so popular with guys they nominated her for queen at the dance party being held that weekend.

((Here’s where Nanami starts her manipulation that is fitting for the name Kiryuu, after all the saying goes “you catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.” Much of Nanami’s earlier actions in the series seem to foreshadow Touga’s wolf in sheep’s clothing personality.))

Nanami: And I’ve wanted to be your friend for a long, long, time Himemiya.

Anthy: *is confused*

((Given Anthy’s history of only being approached when others want something from her the confusion here is less “really you want to be friends” and more “ok you want **something** from me, I just don’t know exactly what it is.”))

Back at the dorm Anthy and Utena are having a date night with Anthy, who is currently being an inattentive girlfriend by playing cards with Chu-Chu.

((Let me dream for a second))

 

Utena tries brining up the topic of Anthy having no friends, “I have Chu-Chu,” Anthy insists, when a delivery boy shows up with packages for the two. Anthy has been given a dress by the dance committee due to her nomination, and some suspicious items that resemble packaged condoms.

((Dance committee member #1: Nanami why are there…?  
Nanami: I know my brother, just trust me on this.))

Utena gets a frilly pink dress and an invitation to the dance party from Touga, much to Utena’s horror.

Anthy: You’re not going?

Utena: Right. Not my style.

Anthy: Then neither will I.

((Anthy: *internally* Oh thank Dios))

When Utena questions Anthy’s logic for not going to a party she was nominated an award for, Anthy says honestly: I don’t care for places with lots of people. Everyone’s face begins to look the same and I get scared.

((It’s hard for Anthy to tell the truth about her entire situation so most of the things she tells Utena are just drops of information amidst the sea of surreal. Anthy feels comfortable saying she doesn’t like being around large groups of people because to her that’s just a simple fact equivalent to saying, “I’m the rose bride.” Her reasons for why she doesn’t like crowds she won’t reveal because remembering the event causing that triggers some terrible memories.))  
Utena’s insistent on taking Anthy to the party on the grounds it would be a great opportunity to make friends other than Chu-Chu.

Anthy: If you say so Miss Utena.

((Something to note here, before Utena delivers her bit about Anthy needing to go to the party, Anthy’s looking down at her cards with a faint smile on her face. After Utena’s says she needs a lot more friends Anthy waits _four seconds_ before delivering her response with an obviously fake smile.))

This scene ends with Utena wanting to know what the hell is up with Touga while the next scene begins with the Shadow Girls, one in prince garb and the other in princess garb, talking about the upcoming dance.

Shadow girl 1: They may call it a ball, but it’s much easier to just call it a man-trap.

Both: How shameless can they be?

((Given Anthy’s princess motive and Utena’s prince motive one can assume the shadow girls are saying directly to them: “Hey you’re walking straight into a trap, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”))

At the ball things are going as smoothly as the pre-prom coronation scenes from Carrie, when we cut to Touga whose little sister Nanami sneaked up on him. Nanami officially reveals to the audience she’s Touga’s little sister thus setting up the events that will later come in the party.

Touga: How did I get such an adoring little sister?

((That may be the most legitimate question on this show.))

The announcer gives the colorless figures in the audience the lowdown of why they’re there when Utena and Anthy arrive. Touga is “excited” to see Utena while Nanami has a suspicious smirk on her face.

((Gotta love the pan up to Utena’s scowling face.))

Turns out Touga constantly talking about the duels and Anthy has led Nanami to believe Touga has developed feelings for Anthy, and Nanami being the obsessive little sister she is can’t let that stand. Of course Touga isn’t paying attention due to Utena wearing a dress.

((Already the show has started to show that the big brother worship trope can lead to some unintentional consequences, namely Nanami harming a girl just because she **suspected** Touga might have feelings for her))

Utena’s embarrassed because of the attention she’s getting  
Anthy: Forgive me, Miss Utena. You’re embarrassing yourself all for my sake.

((translation: I told you! I told you I did not want to come to this party! Now you’ll have to deal with my passive-aggressiveness.))

Nanami shows up to pull Anthy away to where the nominees are supposed to go. Utena’s so happy Anthy might have a new friend that she doesn’t notice Touga creeping up behind her.

Touga: (paraphrased) Damn sexy! You look fine as hell.

Utena: (paraphrased) I hate this dress and you have bad taste.

((Utena: 1 Touga: 0))

Touga: It would be my pleasure if you danced with me in that dress.

((That may be the best idea Touga, just exchange outfits with Utena and she’ll gladly dance with you in that dress.))

Touga: Do you think we make a picture-perfect couple?

((No))

Meanwhile Nanami’s led Anthy to the target zone, I mean nominee area, leaving Anthy alone with the wolves. Anthy looks around and like she said to Utena everyone’s faces blur into borderline deranged animation looking as though they’re all about to attack her.

((Anthy’s past involving crowds was basically the worst moment of her life, not just for what they did to her but what continues to happen to her. As a result of that one event Anthy is doomed to live forever to have her life be used as a pawn in duels where she has to do anything the duelist wants her to do, which leads into fridge horror territory considering Saionji’s entitlement issues and his attraction to Anthy, and her only reward for when all this is over is to spend enternity being stabbed by swords. All this due to one angry crowd, one can hardly blame Anthy for being antisocial.))

With Nanami’s plan set in motion she calls a fellow student to spray Anthy with Champaign, the metaphorical pigs blood for the evening. When the dress is wet it starts disintegrating leaving Anthy as physically vulnerable and exposed as she already was mentally.

((Is it any wonder Anthy hates Nanami for most of the series.))

Touga keeps unsuccessfully hitting on Utena to the point where he asks why she even came to the party. Before Utena can answer him she hears Anthy scream in horror. Anthy’s on the ground in her tattered dress shaking in pure fear, which isn’t helped by the crowd of people, gathered around to gawk at her. Utena runs down to help Anthy, while Touga is upset with Nanami for cockblocking him.

Utena takes off the dress, revealing she was wearing her prince uniform underneath and runs downstairs to give Anthy a makeshift dress out of a tablecloth.

((Utena: Ok I was already wearing a dress so I’ll just give it to Anthy… You know what I’ll just make a dress out of random fabric that’s much more dramatic.))

Chu-Chu puts on a record for the girls to dance to, and the two spend the night dancing away in each others arms with lily petals framed around them, and Anthy offering one of her more genuine smiles.

((Note: the Japanese word for lily is Yuri, that is all))

Just as Nanami is exasperated because everything until now was going according to keikaku* Touga shows up to tell her he knows what she did, and that he sent Utena a dress, not so subtlety telling Nanami she got the wrong girl.

((Touga: (Internally) damn it Nanami I was hoping my suave charms and Utena’s compulsory heterosexuality would get me laid tonight, but noooo you just had to meddle))

Despite Nanami having a newfound hatred for Utena because of her brother’s attraction, Utena is blissfully unaware of this throwing away all outside distractions in favor of dancing the night away with Anthy.

((This scene here is one of the many that shaped my opinion on how Revolutionary Girl Utena is a series with no “filler” episodes. Aside from Nanami’s introduction and reasons for disliking Anthy, which the production team could have easily done in episode 4, you could easily skip this episode. However this episode is the first episode where Utena and Anthy bond for reasons other than “Rose Bride” and “Duelist” and start to build up a relationship that will grow beneficial to both girls, in addition to giving Anthy a reason to reevaluate her life and the decisions she makes near the end of the series.))

 

 

 

((Translator’s note: Keikaku means plan))


	4. Will you be my Madonna….

The episode begins as a flash forward with Utena about to duel Miki for Anthy. Miki says he needs Anthy to bring “the music” back.

Utena: I think being seated at the piano suited you much more.

((I don’t know why but I always chuckle at this line))

With everyone in position and Juri watching the duel from afar, the episode flashes back to how this all began.

Miki’s playing the Sunlit Garden on the piano until he sees Nanami who thanks him for playing at the party in the previous episode, but questions why he dropped out of a competition.

((I like the subtle continuity of the show. Why does this episode’s conflict start? Why because Nanami wanted to drop by because of something minor in the previous episode, of course.))

Miki says that he feels either he or the piano needs to be tuned implying that he couldn’t compete for personal reasons.

((And in Revolutionary Girl Utena, personal issues are **huge**.))

Nanami asks Miki why he always plays that particular song, and he says it’s because if he plays the song he keeps hoping “she” will hear it. Nanami keeps flipping through Miki’s notebook until she spots a photo of Anthy, which she infers as the song being meant for Anthy.

((Dun Dun Dun))

((Ok so we all know that the song is really meant for Miki’s sister, Kozue, and in Miki’s words he “can’t express the eternal beauty [he] feels inside.” However this particular episode is about Miki’s feelings toward Anthy, and how to him she’s basically the personification of his idealized view of how Kozue was when the two of them were younger.))

 

Back in class Wakaba and Utena are upset about their terrible grades, and according to Wakaba Utena got a worse grade than she did for once.

((Seems the duels are starting to catch up to you Utena.))

((Also one sentence that stuck out to me is Wakaba’s, “A real woman can force her logic onto any man,”and how this relates to Anthy. Anthy’s role as the rose bride means that she’s forced into the limitations of everything that is stereotypically female, hence her damsel in distress role throughout the series. However Anthy does fight in ways that are suited to the damsel in distress role by manipulating her attitude and subtly shaping the desires of the duelists, in both duelist arcs, to fight when needed. Since Anthy is perceived as weak and disposable she’s able to slip under the radar  accomplishing that task.))

Meanwhile Nanami’s girl posse slaps Anthy **again** , this time because Miki won’t competitively play the piano. Anthy subtly pushes some books to the ground. Miki sees what’s happening and calls out Nanami’s posse making them leave.

((It may be hard to hear but before Anthy pushes the books we hear a couple of footsteps off camera. Anthy likely pushed those books down as an attempt to grab attention to avoid more slappings. Not necessarily from Miki, Anthy has some powers but clairvoyance isn’t one of them, but possibly from Utena, what with her chronic hero symptom, Touga, who’s likely still a little mad at Nanami for cockblocking him in the previous episode, or just anybody who the girl posse will be less likely to act out in front of. However since that person was Miki Anthy has the added bonus of spending some extra one on one time with him to build trust before subtly convincing him to duel.))

Miki picks up Anthy’s books and apologizes for dragging her into his issues.

((Oh no need, this was going to happen sooner or later, why not make it sooner?))

Anthy: Thank you

((after all you showing up so early in the episode makes my job so much easier.))

Miki: (blushing) It’s nothing

((He’s a goner))

Back in class Utena notices Anthy and Miki walking and talking, and Wakaba introduces him as the middle school freshmen’s ace. Wakaba outwardly wonders why a guy like Miki would be interested in Anthy.

Later at the library, Juri notices Miki is correcting somebody, presumably Anthy’s, test paper and notes that it’s unusual for someone who “never gets close to others.” Miki responds by asking if it’s possible for happiness to be so close by.

((Juri and Miki are one of the fandoms favorite friendships and I can see why. Throughout the show the two never backstab each other and despite their cryptic way of talking to each other the two nonetheless are able to guess how the other is feeling.))

Back at the dorm Miki gives Anthy’s corrected test paper back.

Utena: Lucky stiff, getting someone to correct her work. Maybe I should get a logical boyfriend too…

((Utena I may not be a relationship expert but it probably isn’t a wise decision to talk about getting a boyfriend when your bride is in the same room as you.))

Miki introduces himself to Utena, who is confused he knows who she is, and reveals he is a member of the student council. Utena is disgusted at the possibility that he’s just some other creep who’s after Anthy. Miki’s response is basically, “oh yeah I may be a member of an organization that fights over a woman so she can be the winner’s glorified living doll, but I’m not actively fighting for her so it’s ok.” Utena, ever the optimist, is ok with this explanation.

Miki gives Anthy a notebook full of ways to help her with the make up exams, so Utena decides to play cupid.

Utena: Looks to me like you think about [Anthy] a lot.

((Subtle.))

Miki: She… Miss Himemiya reminds me a bit of a girl I know. That’s all!

((Well at least he’s honest about how he feels about Anthy.))

Utena’s relieved Miki won’t duel her because she’s exhausted over the past two duels.

((With the amount of stairs she has to climb to get there I can hardly blame her.))

Utena claims it’s the duels’ fault they have lower grades,

Miki: You’re taking a makeup exam too?

Utena:… Yeah

((Smooth Utena, Smooth))

 

Back in the piano room Touga is standing over Miki’s playing The Sunlit Garden.

((We didn’t see Touga in or entering the room when the scene transitioned to Miki’s piano playing so I’m assuming Touga’s teleportation skills are acting up again.))

Touga: Your technique’s intensity isn’t as overpowering as it tends to be.

((This could be a sexual metaphor given the show I’m watching, plus the character that’s saying it.))

Touga: Could you have found that “shining thing” you told me about once?

Miki: Yes, I may just have.

((Ok, on the surface the phrase “shining thing” sounds a little sweet, you know a thing that brings joy into your life. However Miki’s talking about Anthy, a human being, and is referring to her as a thing, which… I shouldn’t even have to explain how creepy that is.))

Miki: I may finally be regaining what I lost so long ago…

Miki flashes back to the days when he used to play piano with Kozue, while he looks at a picture of Anthy.

((I’ve always viewed Miki as a deconstruction of the protagonist of a manic pixie dream girl romantic comedy. Not the pixie girl, but rather the male protagonist of these films whose lives have been going through a slump only to be lifted out of his dull dreary life by a shining beacon of hope in the form of a cute childlike female character who builds her life around him because she seemingly has no family, friends, or goals of her own. The deconstruction occurs because Miki views Anthy as just that, a symbol, hence his term “shining thing” used throughout these two episodes.))

Touga hopes that Miki will tell him what that “shining thing” is while Nanami, who apparently has also inherited the Kiyruu teleportation gene, derides this as nonsense.

((Nanami has seen Miki’s photo of Anthy in his music book before so she knows whom he’s talking about, and given her apparent hatred of Anthy starts planning to humiliate her in front of him. Nanami’s motivations for this episode are unclear but I think it’s a combination of her admiring Miki and misinterpreting that admiration as a crush making her jealous of Anthy effortlessly getting his attention and Nanami’s plan to hurt Anthy backfired on her leading to Utena looking like a hero in front of her brother, while Nanami herself got Touga’s scorn because he, of course, knows what she did.))

Meanwhile the shadow girls are blabbing the episode’s plot.

Shadow girl 2: The one who first fell in love with me in elementary school was the boy best in math.

Shadow girl 1: Was he here back then, too?

Shadow girl 2: But, when he found out I liked pro wrestling and big bowls of garlic ramen well… “Now I know what kind of girl you are,” is what he said and then he left me!

Shadow girl 1: Oh dear lover. Oh young man who dreams of love! The truth behind the girl. Do you really know what it is?

((Ok so this shadow girl plot tells the episode’s story with Miki not wanting to have anything to do with Kozue after seeing a different side of her, but also ties into the show’s main plot with Miki being one of the characters whose built up an image of how Anthy is or what she’s supposed to be., with the truth of who Anthy is isn’t revealed until later in the series.))

Meanwhile Miki shows up late to Utena’s ”Operation let’s set up Miki and Anthy” study date, but things don’t go as planned since Nanami tags along.

Once the study date officially begins, Nanami sets up her own little schemes to make Miki think Anthy isn’t as cute as he thinks she is.

((Side note:

Miki: You’re in luck Miss Tenjou, getting to live with such a feminine girl

Utena: Is that sarcasm?

Are two underrated lines in the show))

Nanami’s plans involve putting a snail in Anthy’s pencil box, putting a snake in Anthy’s desk, and putting an octopus in her closet. This works about as well as you’d expect with Anthy already putting animals in those places beforehand so she can troll Nanami, Utena being used so to Anthy’s eccentrics that this is just a normal day for her, and Miki thinking Anthy is more adorable with each pet and balloon she keeps lying around the house.

((Nanami’s immaturity is revealed in this scene during her imagination spots, which show that a snail in a pencil box is somehow able to give Utena a case of the vapors and Miki renouncing his affection for Anthy. Even the pranks she pulls are less mean girl and more elementary school-esque. Also one little detail I loved is when Nanami is getting a close up while saying the title of the plan she looks more disheveled with each failed plan))

((Side note: How does Miki not know what Nanami’s up to. He even says “did you say something?” implying Nanami is saying this **out loud**.))

Anthy: Did you like eating that mean old snake?

((Translation: Yes Nanami, I know what you’re up to. Come at me bra!))

After Nanami quits her schemes it seems like the studying is going well with Utena understanding the problems Miki gives out and Anthy writing diligently in her book… Untill Anthy starts laughing revealing she’s just been drawing the whole time.

((Anthy, in early episodes especially, does small passive aggressive things in order to tell the duelists indirectly, “I hate you, you are nothing to me” and this to me is Anthy showing Miki how his time means so little to her she’d rather waste it on drawing a flipbook. The question one would ask is, “Why, after all Anthy never heard Miki refer to her as a shining thing, and he’s been nothing but nice to her?” I would like to recant that by saying that as the rose bride Anthy is aware of the private history of the duelists and I’d like to ask, “Why do you think Anthy would hate a guy who used to love and adore his sister only to grow up hating and viewing her as a sex object once she stopped living up to his expectations?”))

It’s getting late so Utena asks if Miki and Nanami want snacks. Nanami is too busy going through the blank screen of death to answer properly but snaps out of it so she can offer a snack she made for everyone…or unintentionally just Chu-Chu.

Anthy: Chu-Chu! Shame on you for doing that!

((You were supposed to finish eating before Nanami pulled out the box! No dessert for you tonight... Well maybe a little.))

Rather than go without snacks for the evening, Anthy decides to make shaved ice. Nanami, still going through her BSOD tells everyone off asking if they know that Anthy is weird.

Anthy leaves the room to implement phase two of: Operation get Miki to duel, by sitting down at the piano.

Anthy: Maybe I should have made some takoyaki [octopus] for dinner instead.

((I love this line because the humor is just so…Anthy. Subtle yet direct. The icing on the cake is when the scene cuts to the octopus Nanami brought earlier.))

Just as the group starts looking for Anthy, she starts playing The Sunlit Garden on the piano. They all head downstairs to watch Anthy play, with Miki noting that Anthy is playing in the same tone his sister once played in.

Miki: I’ve found it. My “shining thing.”

((Well if he wasn’t hooked before he certainly is now.))


	5. …or will you be my whore?

*Enter Miki's princess/witch complex*

The episode begins with Miki and Juri fencing, to the tune of several fan girls discussing how they’re both national level players.

((Well that just means more entertaining duels for us.))

Miki wins the fight, which Juri attributes to Miki’s “strength of purity.”

((Uhh Juri, given Miki’s extreme pure vs. impure complex regarding Kozue and Anthy I don’t think you should reinforce that by saying purity is a virture.))

Juri asks if Miki’s newfound strength is due to “the girl” whose exam he was correcting. Before reminding him his sword isn’t for battle.

((In other words, “remember your duties to end of the world and fight for possession of the rose bride, you can’t let feelings get in the way of your goal.” This makes sense given in Juri’s official introductory episode she believes her weaknesses are the result of her unresolved feelings for her crush.))

Back in the rose garden Anthy is putting on a show for Miki, looking extra happy while tending to the roses.

Miki: This is just like that other garden.

((Through this scene Anthy is playing up her “good girl” image in order to get Miki to associate spending time with her the way he remembers spending time with Kozue. However later in this scene Anthy’s smile looks rather forced, which given that this episode reveals that Miki has several issues involving his sister, it can’t be coincidental.))

Utena chases Chu-Chu, who is roaming across campus on a skateboard, and accidentally walks in on the two.

((Clearly Chu-Chu’s “guy is attracted to Anthy sensor” was in overdrive, so he got on a skateboard solely so Utena could stop anything from happening.))

Utena: Uh, am I interrupting anything?

((Given how Utena is reluctant to fight in the duels this early in the series it begs the question why Utena is angry at the thought of Miki being engaged to Anthy when he challenges her to a duel near the end of the episode and why Utena is willing to keep Anthy by her side afterwards. Saionji is understandable, after all he consistently treats Anthy like crap, but Miki is, from Utena’s perspective, kind to Anthy and values Anthy as a person, again I’m talking from Utena’s perspective. Given how at this point in the series Utena duels for selfless and subconsciously selfish reasons. The selfless reason in this case is if Miki is so easily able to change his mind about dueling to possess Anthy then his treatment toward Anthy could easily turn sour. The selfish reason comes from this scene, which from Utena’s perspective looks like there could be a blossoming romance between the two. Given that this episode takes place about a week after the party where Utena helped out Anthy after Nanami pranked her, then the two danced the entire evening dancing, Utena most likely gained some budding romantic feelings toward Anthy, that while not possessive in nature, still wouldn’t want them to spend as much time living with and being with each other the way the two girls have been the first three episodes.))

Chu-Chu is not pleased with seeing those two together.

((and neither is Utena))

The three head back to the piano room where Anthy starts playing The Sunlit Garden, and Miki decides that now is the time to tell his tragic backstory.

Whenever Miki and his sister were young, the two would play the piano together in the garden, even writing their own songs namely The Sunlit Garden. The adults would marvel at their piano playing skills, and Miki says it was the happiest time of his life. However Miki claims he ruined everything by signing the two of them up for a concert and then getting sick the day of it. His sister, Kozue, was scared of performing in front of an audience alone so when it came time to perform she ran offstage and would never play the piano again.

Miki says it wasn’t until then he realized how much fun he had in the garden, and no matter how hard he tries he could never match “the feeling of his sister’s playing.”

((Well it’s true what they say, “You never know what you got till it’s gone.” What Miki’s leaving out of this story is how Kozue and his relationship has changed over the years, and how Kozue’s personality has done a 180 from the girl he remembered as a child, and Miki blames himself for Kozue’s change. This of course turns out to be a different story later in the episode.))

Miki: [Kozue’s playing] is there in Himemiya’s piano.

((Meanwhile Anthy is in the background more fascinated by the metronome than any information concerning Miki’s backstory or, well, anything Miki’s saying. It’s truly beautiful how while Miki is setting himself up to view Anthy as the “ideal girl from my memories” Anthy is showing the audience just how little she cares about him.))

Utena: (slightly annoyed) You must be hearing something I’m not.

((Oh Utena :) are you remembering Anthy and Miki’s “garden bonding time” from earlier in the episode?))

Miki: I’ve finally found the “shining thing” I’ve been searching for.

Utena: Are you saying you’re in love with her?

The situation becomes slightly more awkward from here

Utena asks Anthy what she’s going to do with this newfound information, and Anthy turns around showing that yes, she is listening to Utena.

Utena: About the younger man in your life?

((It’s interesting to note the joking manner Utena had towards Miki’s one-sided crush on Anthy in the previous episode, vs. the almost condescending tone now when the crush could be mutual.))

Anthy reminds Utena that they’re engaged, and Utena tells her to can that because “it’s ridiculous to make a girl someone’s bride because of a duel,” and she hates a system where Anthy is denied her personal freedom.

((Exactly, Utena cares about Anthy meaning that even if she wouldn’t like Anthy running off into the sunset with Miki, Utena doesn’t want the reason Anthy doesn’t do that to be “well the system that makes me your living toy says I can’t, so I’ll just stay by your side.”))

We hear Touga give his egg speech meaning it’s time for a student council meeting.

The reason the council has gathered is because Miki proposes that the student council needs to be dissolved because it’s wrong for them to fight over her, and he can’t allow them to continue. He even parrots Utena’s words about how no matter how much power end of the world has for them he “can’t follow a system that robs Anthy Himemiya of her personal freedom.”

((Now keep in mind while Miki has, in the previous episode, stated how he’s not going to actively fight over Anthy because he believes owning her is wrong, but he hasn’t tried to stop the duels from happening…until he projects his image of his sister’s childhood self onto her.))

Juri: Love certainly changes a person

((That and sister complexes.))

Touga: Youth can sometimes keep you from seeing what you truly seek.

((Touga you’re 17 I don’t think you’re at the age where you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be young.))

Both remind Miki that they’re doing this to revolutionize the world.

((Through the scene there is a red apple on a chair beside the group. This brings to mind the image of forbidden fruit creating the temptation to do terrible things while at the end of the scene the apple is cored and cut into slices making it “easier to swallow,” this ties into the shows use of the duels and how Touga and Juri are justifying their actions saying they’re for the good of the world.))

After the student council meeting, Miki heads to the music room where he, literally, bumps into Kozue. The two share a tense moment and Kozue asks if Miki wants to try to get her to play the piano again.

((Later episodes reveal that for all of Kozue’s faults she does love her brother and wants his attention, but she’s too proud to visibly show it, so the subtext of this question is “Can we please just spend some time together?”))

Miki: I don’t have any more hope for you.

((Ouch.))

Miki asks why she’s there, but Kozue coyly brushes him off. Miki enters the music room and sees Touga by the piano.

((Given Kozue’s outfit’s askew and Touga’s shirt is unbuttoned I don’t think those two were there for a music lesson.))

Touga: Good morning Miki Kaoru. Your sister is as cute as you are. _And as easy-going_.

((Yep definitely not there for music.))

Anthy shows up out of nowhere.

((Anthy’s a witch so she has an excuse to teleport.))

Touga: Unless you defend the precious things you possess, people will take them away from you Miki. Even if the student council were dissolved now someone who wanted the Rose Bride then couldn’t have her.

((Yeah they could, as a friend, romantic interest, study buddy, classmate, what am I missing here?))

Touga: Only the one she is engaged to can make the bride do what they want.

((Oh, yeah, slave. Forgive me if that wasn’t at the top of my head.))

Miki is starting to be tempted by this idea, and seems to contemplate it while Anthy plays the piano.

((When Anthy starts playing the piano in this scene we get a little glimpse of Anthy’s trademark “I’m winning” smile. This is sadly because Anthy knows that no matter how much Miki claims he cares about her in the end he’s just like the other duelists in that he’ll duel to possess her if that gets him what he wants. It’s sad because it adds to Anthy’s resentment over how she’s forever trapped in a system where she’s a puppet to whoever’s engaged to her and how she can never trust those who are kind to her, which causes severe problems in her relationship with Utena throughout the series.))

The two start some small talk, and remembering how he lost is connection with Kozue, Miki asks Anthy if she can play the piano for him again then or tomorrow and Anthy replies both times, “If Miss Utena says I can.” Miki asks if Anthy has to get Utena’s permission for everything and…

Miki: So if she told you to stop playing the piano would you?

((In other words if Anthy won’t be allowed to do what **you** want her to do.))

Anthy: Of course. I must do whatever the person I’m engaged to wants.

((You can pinpoint the second Anthy decides to destroy him))

Miki mentally repeats Touga’s spiel about owning the rose bride in his imagination spot, but in said spot Touga is lounging around a room and on the bed shirtless.

((Given Revolutionary Girl Utena’s unspoken rule of “everyone is bisexual unless otherwise stated” it’s likely that this reflects Touga and Miki either having sex or were close to having sex before the start of the series. This also makes Miki’s dislike of Kozue having sex with Touga that much more understandable since I wouldn’t want the playboy who seduced me to seduce my sibling as well. It also adds an element of horror to Miki’s mind of what Touga might do to Anthy if he suddenly has her in his possession.))

Miki: Don’t worry! I’ll protect the feeling of your song!

Anthy: Thanks so much

((Anthy: (internally) Yeah, whatever.))

Back in class Utena talks with Wakaba about the makeup exam until Miki shows up to challenge Utena to a duel.

((Utena: (looking at the white rose) Oh my god. (looks into the camera like the office) I am… disgusted.))

Meanwhile with the shadow girls, the two put on a play about a pirate who feels entitled to all the treasures of the world.

Shadow girl 2: Tell me why with all your treasure, why don’t you have the thing you really want.

Girl 1: The thing I really want?

2: But isn’t that why you won’t give up being a pirate captain

1: The thing I really want is

2:Uh, captain? We’ve sprung a leak.

((Ok so this shadow play relates to Miki who despite his treasures, popularity, good grades, etc. he still feels empty as a result of his family issues. However with the “treasures of the world belong to me” comment it also reflects Miki’s flawed side. While Miki is a generally nice guy, he is also a bit of a “Nice Guy” in that h believes he knows what’s best for Anthy and feels entitled to have her because she gives him what **he** needs. Ask yourself, has Miki genuinely asked Anthy what she wanted to do when she wasn’t playing the piano? And by the time he realizes what he really does want the damage has already been done, namely shattering his relationship with Utena by challenging her to a duel.))

When Utena makes her way to the dueling arena, it does a small repeat of the first scene of episode four.

((So we find out why Utena’s so angry with Miki: he goes along with the student council and fights to possess Anthy, he betrays her trust in him, and to top it off he makes her climb the 30,000 stairs to the dueling arena.))

With everyone in position with Juri watching at the sidelines, and regretting not bringing a bucket of popcorn, the duel begins.

Miki: I’ll make the rose bride mine. Even if it means hurting you.

((I think your time would better be spent with a therapist.))

With Miki remembering his time with Anthy at the piano, he makes the first move, and he’s starting off with the upper hand. Utena starts making her rebound, impressing Miki with her sword skills.

Miki: I’m going to have the bride’s piano playing.

Utena: Like this?

((translation: Dude, you know you can hang out with her **without** winning a duel?))

Miki: I can see it in her eyes. She really wants to be free.

((Ok out of all the things Miki has projected onto Anthy I think this may be the biggest load of crap he’s pulled in this episode. At this point in the series Anthy’s in a place where being free terrifies her more than provides a source of comfort. Plus even if Miki did win the duel Anthy would still be trapped in an abusive system where her agency is denied, and no amount of piano playing will make that better.))

Miki: I won’t lose! She’s counting on me!

Anthy: That’s it, Miss Utena! Get him!

((Anthy: Don’t you dare presume you know what I want.))

With Miki distracted Utena is able to have an opening to defeat him.

((Why did Miki look over at Anthy? Simple, with that one line she shattered the image Miki created for her. It’s indicated in the duel song, this week about Miki. The phrase, “theatre an extraordinary mind, and extraordinary person” relates to Anthy and how she subtly created a performance that Miki was able to see the younger version of his sister in. “Idealized reality” reflects Miki’s vision of his time in the garden with Kozue and how him missing that time has led him to idealize it rather than live in the now. The line “theatre, illusory people reflect how those images Miki has created don’t truly exist.))

Juri is shocked Miki lost, Utena is ticked off at this entire duel process, and Miki asks, “Why can’t I find someone to be my shining thing?”

((Because you shouldn’t put people on a pedestal like that, you weirdo.))

Anthy: Well done. Let’s study together again sometime.

((Can you correct my homework for me k thx bye.))

We hear a badly played rendition of The Sunlit Garden and the player is none other than Kozue herself. When her audience questions her skills Kozue says, “Well, I never had any talent. I never even liked it that much.”

((Well this just got even more interesting.))

When asked why Kozue plays if she doesn’t like it Kozue replies:

“A long time ago, a boy who lived next door wrote me a love letter. It said, ‘I love your piano playing.’ But he misunderstood about my piano playing. You see I always just played together with my brother. When I was little, everyone just assumed I played well. It’s because my brother is a genius. Even with my sloppy playing he could still follow it. But when they announced that we were giving a concert my brother got sick and I had to go on alone. Since I couldn’t do it on my own, I just fell apart on stage.”

((I love this monologue because it changes the entire dynamic of the Miki and Kozue relationship. When they were little the two just played together for the fun of it, Miki even aiding Kozue’s not so good playing. However after Miki got sick and Kozue got stage fright, which wasn’t helped by her knowing she never had any talent to begin with. Kozue, not wanting anything like that to happen again, swore never to play the piano again. Miki devastated by, from his perspective, ruining something Kozue loved to do, started to idealize their time together in the garden and the two started drifting farther and farther apart. Kozue wanting to get Miki’s attention again starts acting as outrageous as possible, including being promiscuous, however that attention wasn’t the good kind so with Kozue acting differently than how Miki remembers her; he metaphorically disowns her as his sister and the once given affection Kozue received from Miki is now being directed toward Anthy, even if that affection is self serving.))

Miki confronts Utena in the hallway and vows to win Anthy again in the next duel.

((Ughhhh))


	6. Nanami’s episode! Time for filler!

Nanami episodes tend to be very divisive for Revolutionary Girl Utena fans, either they hate them because they take place in the middle of a story arc, thus breaking up the story’s pacing and tension, the episodes are pure filler meaning one can take these episodes out without affecting the plot at all, or they just hate Nanami. Others love them because they amp up the surrealism Revolutionary Girl Utena is known for and because they keep Nanami in the story long enough for us to grow attached to her so when we get to Operation: make-Nanami-consider-incest we start to sympathize with her when said operation starts to break her. For now let’s’ focus on the episode where, yes, Anthy’s not the only one who messes with Nanami’s head.

*******************************************************************************************

The episode opens like a scene from Friday the 13th. Nanami’s walking alone in the middle of the night thinking someone’s following her. Her suspicions are seemingly confirmed when she hears someone walk toward her. Nanami heads to a car tunnel where one car swerves out of her way and another stops to check on her. Everything seems fine until Nanami sees a shadowy figure watching her before slowly walking away.

((Quick question, where was Nanami going? It’s been established that she lives on campus with her brother so why was she in a completely different neighborhood?))

The next day Nanami tells her brother everything, saying someone wants to kill her. Touga is incredulous, Nanami names off other possible attempts, and Miki does not care.

Nanami climbs on the table and asks Touga to help her saying that this is all because someone is jealous of her.

((I love their reactions to this. Touga is unfazed because, let’s face it Nanami has likely done thousands of things to capture his attention, while Miki is reacting to this like a normal person would, internally wondering what the hell she’s doing.))

Touga thinks Nanami has just read too many detective books and walks off.

Touga: Sorry, but I have important student council work.

((Hitting on girls is not listed under important student council work, Touga.))

Nanami: Oh my brother can be so unfeeling sometimes!

Miki: Relationships between siblings can be so complex…

((translation: After that asshole slept with me and my sister I’m not surprised!))

Changing the subject Miki asks if Nanami’s done anything to anyone lately  
((How many of you have felt personally victimized by Nanami Kiyruu? *raises hand*))

Keiko: She has, but nothing that would get traced back to her.

Aiko: Her policy is to not to get her own hands dirty.

((An antagonistic character, which makes others to their dirty work for them. I wonder how that will become relevant later in the series.))

Miki agrees with this, to Nanami’s chagrin.

Nanami: At this moment someone may be trying to kill m- * **SPLAT** *

Utena apologizes for accidentally hitting Nanami in the head with a baseball.

((Meanwhile Anthy is in the greenhouse wondering why she is suddenly attracted to Utena 1000x more powerfully than she was 2 seconds ago.))

While Utena’s looking for the ball, and Nanami’s splattered out in front of her starting to question if Utena’s the one trying to kill her, barely being held back from attacking Utena by her girl posse.

After things relatively calm down Utena chuckles over how Nanami thinks she’s the attempted murderess. Nanami gives out a motivation, pointing out that her brother is attracted to Utena.

Utena: [Touga] just likes to stick his nose where it doesn’t belong!

((I can name another body part with that same trait.))

Before another fight can break out, Miki spies someone in the greenhouse. That “someone” is Touga and Anthy.

Touga: Why won’t you finish the job? They just can’t be allowed to live!

Anthy: But I can’t do it!

Touga: Are you afraid? The plan can’t be changed now. I want a killing done at once.

((You can already tell they’re not talking about Nanami, because Touga wouldn’t need to do this much convincing.))

The gang outside is starting to be concerned about this “killing” talk.

Touga: What’s the problem in killing vermin like them?

Anthy: It’s not that. No matter how much you hate something… a life is a life! Maybe if we just wait they’ll go away on their own.

((One thing I find fascinating about this scene is that Anthy looks genuinely upset even though it’s later revealed the “murder” is killing a bunch of bugs. True she may be continuing this to mess with Nanami outside, but one thing that remains constant about Anthy throughout the series is her love for animals. Until later in the series Anthy’s love for animals eclipses that of her love for people. In fact one controversy in psychology fields is whether or not people with antisocial personality disorder feel more for animals than human beings. Now Anthy is **far** **from** antisocial, in the clinical sense, that term fits Akio more, however, living at Ohtori Academy has conditioned her to think of and act as those people are pawns to be used and discarded at will in order to accomplish her and Akio’s goal similar to people with that same disorder act in their daily lives, meaning the only genuine connection Anthy has involving people is, you guessed it, her brother. Animals however generally are not involved in the two’s schemes, so Anthy only gets to form guaranteed betray-free attachments with animals.))

Nanami is so distraught that her brother possibly wants to kill her that she creates an imagine spot where Touga and Anthy kill Nanami so the two of them can be together and in love.

((Ok first of all, Anthy x Touga is gross. Second of all Anthy x any guy on this show is my NOTP.))

Nanami opens the greenhouse to confront her brother for his attempted murder plans.

Nanami is crying, Touga is confused, Anthy is 2 seconds away from summoning a bucket of popcorn, and Utena is furious.

Anthy shows Utena a termite killing spray showing that they were in fact not talking about killing Nanami.

((If Utena and Miki started running after Nanami immediately after finding this out the episode would have been over in 2 minutes tops.))

Nanami, seemingly betrayed by the one she loved the most, runs away lamenting her deplorable state. Just when it seems things can’t get any worse for Nanami, a runaway horse enters the school and nearly tramples her. She’s saved at the last minute by a blonde guy of indiscernible age.

The next day rumors have spread all across the school about a prince saving Nanami, Nanami is still in a daze over yesterday’s events, remembering when her “prince” Mitsuru patched her up.

Nanami: At least tell me your name!

Mitsuru: My name isn’t important. I’m sure we’ll meet again. Goodbye, miss.

((2 things about this make me question how much the voice actors laughed when reading the lines for this scene. 1. The lines are reminiscent of every cliché shoujo romantic couple meeting in manga and anime history. 2. The fact that Mitsuru, who can’t be older than 10, is part of this.))

Utena and Miki stalk, I mean follow, Nanami to see who her prince is. Their come across 1. A guy is in 20’s and 2. An old teacher.

((Honestly the elementary school aged kid is less creepy than her having a thing with those guys.))

When the two realize that Mitsuru comes up short from their imaginations they, along with Nanami’s girl posse who have appeared out of nowhere, they are so shocked that the shadow girls appear.

The play they perform is about a couple of girls who go camping, but when they make dinner, the rice is both over and undercooked, and they curry is so watery they can’t taste the seasoning. When shadow girl number 2 says that the air is the best seasoning, the camera pulls back to show the performance was given by some puppets the shadow girls created.

((So why the puppets, after all there’s no buildup to there being puppets, so really it’s just pointless right? Well with the shadow girls’ performance we’re so engrossed in what’s going on what’s in front of us we don’t see what’s happening behind the scenes. When we do find out that what’s first shown to us isn’t really happening it comes as a surprise at first. For the first arc of Revolutionary Girl Utena, we’re given a basic plot: Girl fights entire student council to get possession of girl. As we later find out, the entire situation that Anthy is in is incredibly more complicated than that, hell we don’t even see the main villain of the series until the first arc is over.))

When we get back from commercial break Utena and Miki sit down to lunch, with Utena wondering the best way to stage an intervention for a middle school student dating an elementary school student. Miki is unconcerned statin Nanami’s real target is Touga.

Miki: [Nanami] has a real brother complex

((You’re one to talk Miki))

Miki says that since Touga’s the closest person to her, no other man can match up to him. Other men are about as useless to her as parsley is to dinner. Miki thinks this might be good for Nanami now since she thinks her brother betrayed her.

Utena: It’s because she overreacts to everything.

((And you underreact to everything, everyone has their flaws.))

The two see Mitsuru and Nanami hanging out on the grass.

Miki: They look more like brother and sister than a couple.

((It’s interesting how Miki notes this especially since he earlier stated Nanami has a “big brother complex.” Nanami, of course, isn’t physically attracted to her brother but rather likes having him take care of her, and as later revealed in the episode, Mitsuru’s role in his and Nanami’s relationship is to take care of things for her, so in a way Nanami’s relationships with Touga and Mitsuru parallel each other.))

The next scenes reveal the true nature of Nanami and Mitsuru’s relationship, with him getting Nanami’s tennis clothes, the answer book for a pop quiz, and using his own body as an easel for art class.

((Shouldn’t this child be in class?))

Utena and Miki are watching this unfold, and are less than pleased with this turn of events. Saionji decides now’s the time to give his opinion.

((The production team paid for his voice actor so they will use him damn it!))

Saionji: No matter how you may be abused you’re always happy to be near the one you love. That is one form of love.

((That is called being in an abusive relationship, and that statement is eerily similar to a phrase Anthy says at the end of a later episode.))

Saionji: The love Anthy and I share is hidden love.

((That’s because it doesn’t exist.))

Saionji: (paraphrased) Pay attention to me.

Utena: (paraphrased) get the hell out of here!

Nanami encounters some entitled assholes on the staircase who are upset Nanami’s going out with someone younger than them

((Because as we all know if someone doesn’t like you then they’re not allowed to date anyone else.))

Nanami: And you people are… who?

((She is so unimpressed with these guys it cracks me up every time.))

These guys think she should go out with them because they write her love letters every day. Mitsuru beats up all three of them, as it should be.  
((You’ve got to give props to Mitsuru, after all a nine year old beating up 3 guys twice his size is pretty badass.))

Turns out the reason Nanami’s going out with this kid is because he promised her that he would protect her as long as they’re going out. In practice, however, this leaves him exhausted. When Utena realizes this she storms down to where Nanami and Mitsuru are and she tells Nanami off for callously teating Mitsuru like her bodyguard/servant.

Nanami calls back to the beginning of the episode saying her brother is trying to kill her, so naturally she does need someone to protect her. Miki tries correcting her, about to mention the termite incident, but Nanami won’t listen and stroms off leaving the two alone with Mitsuru. Utena asks him why he’s willing to do so much for Nanami.

Turns out when Mitsuru was really little a runaway bull almost attacked Nanami, and before he could save Nanami, Touga used his teleportation powers to scare and stop the bull in its tracks. The flashback ends with him watching Touga carry Nanami on his shoulders.

((This flashback does give us an interesting insight on Nanami’s relationship with Touga. Given how Mitsuru says Nanami most likely doesn’t remember this event it’s likely that Touga being a protective older brother was just a normal day for Nanami. For Nanami, Touga provided the role of unconditional love and support for most of her life, so as stated by Miki it’s hard for Nanami to find someone to match that ideal. So naturally when Nanami feels threatened in loosing Touga and his love she reacts violently towards those who are that perceived threat.))

Mitsuru says that he wants to be a big brother figure like Touga was, a concept that confuses Utena. Since Nanami doesn’t remember, Mitsuru says that he’ll just have to put her in danger again. Yes folks, Mitsuru’s the one responsible for Nanami’s “near death experiences.”

Mitsuru: So I could save her in the nick of time. That’s how a big brother’s supposed to act.

((Given that Mitsuru’s nine it’s unlikely that he understands the impact of most of those actions. In his mind throwing a flowerpot, some logs, and nearly pushing her down the stairs won’t cause any harm since he’ll save her from them anyway. However it’s made very clear that even though Mitsuru didn’t mean any harm his actions still had negative consequences, namely Nanami’s afraid she’s **going to die**.))

Nanami records everything Mitsuru says and she’s so pissed off she uses the Kiryuu teleportation gene to go back and tell Mitsuru off.

Utena and Miki try to calm Nanami down saying Mitsuru’s just a kid but Nanami, understandably, isn’t having that. However, rather than being upset over the murder attempts, she’s mostly upset about accusing her brother of those attempts.

((Nanami you may want to evaluate your priories for a second.))

((During the production meeting for this episode:

writer 1: Ok so we have all the episode plotlines wrapped up but we still have about 4 minutes left in the episode what do we do?

*Ikuhara rises from the ashes, wearing sunglasses, a fur coat, and a full body cape*

Ikuhara: I want them to fight a kangaroo

writer 2: But sir-

*Ikuhara removes sunglasses*

Ikuhara: You heard what I said! ))

A Kangaroo is now on the loose and runs to where the four are. The group splits up, however Nanami just stands there in pure fear. Just as when it looks like Nanami’s about to be punched in the face Mitsuru steps in and takes the punch for her. Utena tries to save the day, but it seems that while duels are up her alley, kangaroo fighting isn’t. Mitsuru is angry that Utena, and Miki to a lesser degree, is stealing his thunder and draws attention to himself.

((At this point the kangaroo isn’t angry he’s just confused.))

Before Mitsuru dies from being beaten to death by a kangaroo, Nanami picks him up and drags him away saying, “I already have an older brother you stupid idiot.”

((I may have paraphrased slightly.))

Nanami says that Mitsuru can’t die because she still needs him to do stuff for her.

((Well that’s as good enough a reason as any to save someone’s life.))

Before those two die, Touga shows up to punch the kangaroo in the face.

((Ikuhara: *using his cape to dry tears of joy* it’s the perfect ending.))

Anthy shows up to tell Utena she and Touga solved the vermin problem, Miki tells Nanami the full story about what happened in the greenhouse, and Nanami and Mitsuru happily break up, Mitsuru even tries to convince Nanami to adopt him into the family.

((Oh dear God child! No!))

The episode ends with Nanami happily walks off with her brother into the sunset, Utena’s slightly impressed with Touga and starts viewing him in a positive light, and Touga looks back at Utena with a knowing smirk on his face.

((So the episode ends with Touga acting like the prince figure Utena grew up idealizing, with him protecting the “damsel in distress” his sister. It helps provide a small little Segway into understanding why Utena would view him as the prince from her childhood even though, from what we’ve seen in flashbacks, he clearly is not.))


	7. Harold…

The episode begins with a small flashback with Juri uttering the arc words of the episode

“Because there really are no such things as miracles.” In the present day, Juri is shown to easily defeat several guys at fencing.

Miki: No one can beat you Miss Juri

Juri: And what do I have to show for it? (*gently holds her locket*) Will I smash the world’s shell?

((Given that the world of Revolutionary Girl Utena is filled with fairy tale archetypes come to life one may find some skepticism in Juri’s lack of belief in miracles. However the miracle Juri refers to is not related to the stuff you’d find in fairy tales as we’ll see later in the episode.))

In the next scene a teacher talks to Juri commending her and the student council’s work at a regional council meeting proving that the student council does do things not related to the main plot.

((I like to imagine the student council members checking their planners to make sure they don’t schedule a duel the same day as the school festival, elections, or some other trivial matter on the grounds that, revolution or not, they need to take their jobs seriously.))

Cut to a teacher who’s angry with Utena for bringing a pet, Chu-Chu, to school. Utena argues that she just brought her lunch to school and didn’t know he was with her.

Teacher: Forgetting that you’re bringing a monkey to school has always been against the rules!

((Several centuries before the events of the show…  
Akio: rule #1: bringing pets to school is forbidden

Anthy: Yes, big brother.

*The next day*

Akio: rule #2: forgetting you’re bringing a monkey to school (*glares at Anthy*) is **also** forbidden

Anthy: (tight smile) Yes, big brother))

Chu-Chu escapes the teacher’s clutches, so while a chase scene happens in the background Juri starts chatting with Utena. When Utena refuses to talk, in order to help capture Chu-Chu, Juri takes matters into her own hands by “convincing” the Vice principal to talk with the troublemaking teacher over lunch.

((Damn, Akio must have given the council a fair amount of power, which considering that they’re an extension of him I have no doubt it was to satisfy his ego.))

Utena’s relieved, Juri’s satisfied, and Chu-Chu’s angry over the two now being able to talk.

Utena: Now that’s what I call a miracle!

((Or a display of manipulation via use of power. Of course given how the fairy tale motives are created…))

Utena gives her description of Juri based on what she’s heard around school. Basically Juri is awesome, but terrifying up close, to the point where the teachers will bolt if she looks at them funny.

Utena:…then the rumors are true

Juri: Who can say?

((Given what we saw with the vice principal earlier, there’s a grain of truth in those rumors.))

Juri mentions Utena’s skill with a sword, making Utena realize that since she’s on the student council, Juri’s likely to start dueling for Anthy too.

Juri reminds Utena of the perks of owning the rose bride, but since Utena watches Anthy exit the rose garden, and waves hi to hear, it’s likely all she heard was “blah, blah, revolution, blah, blah, power.”

Utena asks if Juri’s series about fighting for Anthy, and Juri, remembering Shiori, says it’s ridiculous to fight to posess the rose bride.

Utena leaves since the teacher from earlier calls her to the office leaving Juri behind.

Anthy shows up as soon as Utena leaves, and gives Juri her trademark victory smile saying she can have the orange rose she’s holding. Juri immediately slaps the rose out of Anthy’s hand, hitting her in the process.

Juri: Don’t get too familiar

((There’s a lot to take in here, we see from Juri’s flashbacks the rose Anthy holds looks exactly like the one Shiori offered to Juri before she broke Juri’s heart. Anthy offering the flower to Juri reminded her of that incident, not helping how both girls have similar hair colors. Anthy, given that she’s duel bait, knows this and creates the motivation for Juri to fight, the same way she did with Miki 2 episodes ago…still doesn’t excuse Juri for slapping Anthy though.))

Touga gives his pretentious eggshell speech meaning it’s time for a student council meeting.

Miki: I received a letter from End of the World. The next duel must take place this week.

((We wasted a week with that Nanami plot so we have to get the ball rolling.))

Touga says that only him and Juri are left to fight Utena for Anthy, baffling Miki since he doesn’t understand why Juri would want to duel. According to Touga it’s because Juri wants to disprove the power of miracles.

((Throughout this scene Touga throws knives around Miki in a circus-like performance. Given the earlier implication that Touga and Miki had a fling before the events of the series it ties in to the episodes theme of how attraction can turn into hatred especially since the first knife Touga throws hits the chart in the placement showing the winner of the duel, and as established later in the series Akio, who uses “attraction” as a way to get people to do what he wants, is the real winner of the duels.))

Miki: Is that true?

Juri: Who knows? But I’ll need to study for finals on my own without it.

((Don’t underestimate miracles for that Juri, relying on them is how I got through high school.))

Touga doubts that it’s Juri’s real motive, asking if she’s given up on her love or wants to disprove the rose bride’s power.

Juri: Miss Juri, you’re in love with someone? Must be hard when you can’t tell them your feelings.

((Since Miki didn’t know Juri had feelings for someone it’s likely that only Touga has a real inkling of what happened with Juri. There are two theories I have about why that is. The first is more logical in that Touga and Juri are about the same age so he’s more likely to have basic information about what happened. The second, which is a meta approach, is how in the manga Juri had romantic feelings for Touga instead of Shiori.))

Juri: Yes… I was in love

We get a flashback to when Juri was friends with two people a nameless guy and Shiori. Juri states that even then she knew her feelings wouldn’t go anywhere she was heartbroken when Shiori told the guy friend Juri was in love with someone else so she could start dating him. Shiori claims this is because she had feelings for the guy in question and because of this she has no regrets about dating him.

Shiori: You must hate me for what I’ve done.

((I adore the way this flashback is set up. Juri doesn’t tell us who she had feelings for, and the show doesn’t reveal who it was until the end of the episode so going by just this one scene the show asks you to decide for yourself who Juri had feelings for. Given how 95% percent of characters in media are (stated or presumed) straight one would automatically assume that Juri had feelings for the guy, especially since the first arc of the show sets the world the characters live in is based on fairy tale clichés, and one of the first cliché’s that come to mind is “every princess will end up with her prince” a rather heterosexist idea. It’s not until you re-watch the episode where one notices the subtle clues that tell us that Juri was in love with Shiori. First is when the camera immediately fades into Shiori’s face when Juri says that she was in love, second is when the roses that frame the characters’ faces appear the guy’s roses are white while Juri and Shiori’s roses are both orange, and third is how Shiori has an unusual hair color and most of the characters on Revolutionary Girl Utena tend to have unusual or bright hair colors if they’re relevant to the plot.))

Juri internally recites areply to a letter she received, presumably from Shiori, saying that her feelings haven’t changed since then and is jealous of them going out, before angrily tossing the letter and her class picture to the ground. The camera pans to Juri’s expression in the picture where she’s closing her eyes, symbolically showing us she doesn’t want to see what’s happening in front of her.

((In this moment we see what’s plaguing Juri through the series. She has unrequited feelings for someone she knows won’t return said feelings and she tends to make rash decisions that while satisfying in the moment don’t solve anything in the long run. She also, in order to protect herself, ignores all evidence of Shiori hurting her because she doesn’t want to let go of the feelings she once had because although those feelings are painful now they were once special to her.))

Later that night Utena takes Chu-Chu in the garden because he can’t sleep and is afraid of the dark.

((I don’t blame him, terrible R-rated things happen in the dark.))

The two come across Juri, who is in her nightgown, which Utena says makes her look like a supermodel.

((Careful Utena, your bisexuality is showing.))

The two get onto the subject of why Utena always wears a boy’s uniform. Utena gives her usual spiel about how when she was young a prince told her never to lose her strength or nobility and gave her a ring so they could meet. Utena wanted to be like him so she started wearing the uniform to be closer to that ideal. Utena says she doesn’t believe the rose bride has miraculous power but that she is linked to the duels by destiny and goes so far as to call it a miracle.

((As much as I want to fan girl over Utena indirectly saying that she and Anthy are linked by fate, her word choice “miracle” is going to bite back **hard** , given Juri’s hatred of that word because it’s linked to Shiori her reaction is much more heated than if she didn’t use it.))

Juri puts a hand on Utena’s shoulder giving a sly smirk, Utena, confused as to what’s going on looks up as Juri slowly moves her face closer to Utena.

((*Juri/Utena shippers lean into the screen quickly eating popcorn in anticipation*))

With their faces inches apart Juri…. grabs Utena’s hand and demands she throw away her rose seal.

((*Juri/Utena shippers throw their popcorn to the floor in frustration*))

Juri: You make me sick! That “nobility” of yours you have it because some guy you like tricked you into having it!

((Juri’s missing one very important aspect of Utena’s story. Utena had that strength and nobility **before** she met the prince so claiming Utena only had the nobility because of the prince is dismissive of her a fact that is reinforced by Utena’s pissed off expression.))

Juri says that Utena’s “sentimental feelings” are stupid and that a girl like her isn’t fit to wear the rose seal, even going so far as to rip the seal off her. Utena kicks Juri off of her saying she can’t give it up because it’s the only link she has to him.

Juri says that Utena will have to prove the miracle in a duel, the camera focusing on Juri’s locket.

((Juri’s locket throughout the show always stays present around her neck and is rather protective of it for reasons we’ll see at the end of the episode.))

The next day at sundown Anthy is in class alone except for Chu-Chu singing a nursery rhyme about rabbits and playing with her hands.

 

(( I looked up the actress who played Juri and she also played Usagi Tsukino on Sailor Moon, given Ikuhara’s involvement with the show it’s a subtle in-reference.))

The shadow play is very simple, one about a girl who says she doesn’t want to go to the zoo because she got a cold, but secretly really wants to and is just saying that to avoid feeling hurt.

((Take a wild guess who this refers to))

The next scene sows Utena climbing the steps to the duel.

((and internally cursing Juri with every step.))

The two begin to duel, with Juri saying that if Utena wins with a miracle then she deserves her conceit. Juri shows the most skill with sword fighting we’ve seen in the series so far, and isn’t afraid to push Utena to the ground if it gives her an upper hand. Juri doesn’t knock Utena’s rose off implying she wants to play in the duel before winning. The camera points to Anthy who isn’t pleased by Juri’s upper hand. Juri flashes back to Shiori’s hurtful actions. Utena channels the power of Dios through her and while that may have let her win previous battles, Juri deflects the blade at the last minute. Just as it seems that Juri will win, Utena’s sword falls from the sky piercing through Juri’s orange rose, indirectly leading to Utena’s victory.

((Juri’s duel song begins with references to light both positive “heavenly light” and negative “Lucifer son of the dawn”, referring to Lucifer’s fallen angel status, and by extension referring to Juri’s falling from believing in anything magical such as miracles. The line “born into every possible miracle, Gyes” serves as the transition to showing how Shiori hurt Juri, and the line “The pleasure principle, the Nirvana principle” is how Juri believed she could have been happy if Shiori returned her feelings. It’s after we get the flashback the Juri’s fighting becomes more powerful and harder for Utena to deflect showing how powerful Juri is as a fighter and how powerful her feelings are in a non positive way considering how she’s using those feelings to win a duel to possess a person. It’s after Juri gets another flashback to Shiori that she gets enough power to almost win, and the line “Inside I’m hollow” is repeated about 10 times showing that for all Juri’s power she’s still heartbroken over Shiori.))

Juri refuses to believe that Utena won because of a miracle and looks at Anthy, who gives an angry look at Juri.

((Never underestimate the power of Anthy Himemiya.))

Anthy: (holding out an orange rose) May they know your true feelings, one day.

((This line shows that Anthy has some way of knowing what happened to Juri and by extension showing there’s more to her that meets the eye. Namely Anthy is more than happy to rub salt in the wound if someone fights against her.))

Juri walks off, and heads to a grassy hill where she ends up talking to Touga. Juri says that if Anthy does have the power to change the world then she wants to take it, implying she is starting to believe in miracles a little bit.

Touga: To let them finally know your hidden feelings? (walks off)

Juri opens her locket revealing that she keeps a picture of Shiori there and by extension revealing her romantic feelings were for Shiori.

Juri: Yes. I hate you. Because I can’t make you realize how I feel.

((Juri’s difficulty in revealing to Shiori is a double-edged sword because not only does she have to deal with the emotional vulnerability in admitting how she feels, but also in revealing her feeling would also have her admit to being a lesbian. Despite most of the main cast being gay or bisexual there’s a comment that Touga says later in the series implying that homophobia exists in that universe, and given how most of the same-sex attraction occurs in a subtle or hidden way, it reflects real life attitudes of how straight or bisexual people in opposite sex relationships can talk about said relationships with no problem, but gay or bisexual people in same sex relationships making even one reference to their relationship is too much information. Juri runs the risk of confessing her feelings to a straight girl and receiving homophobic backlash because of it, so she keeps her feelings hidden to avoid risking said backlash.))

 ************************************************************************************************************************************************

Meanwhile in an American dubbing studio:

Dub team member: Wow! She carries a locket with a picture of a girl! They must have been very good friends!

Crispin Freeman (Touga’s English voice actor) shouting across the room: Harold! She’s a lesbian!


	8. I hope to God Akio was out of town for this episode

The opening is Utena rehashing the story of how she met her prince, presumably because the production team decided there wasn’t enough filler in this episode.

Utena and Anthy are taking part in a cooking class (because gender roles), and Nanami and her posse are gathered to go over Operation: switch curry spices to make Anthy’s cooking taste terrible.

Nanami: This will teach my brother to ignore me.

((You’re going to pull a prank on some girls Touga barely knows in a roundabout way to punish him… solid plan Nanami.))

The posse start to have second thoughts about this plan because they accidentally used a curry powder that was 90000x spicier than they intended, and was said to be so spicy it would blow you to kingdom come.

((How the hell do you screw up that badly!))

The spice seemingly lives up to its claims, with the room the cooking class was being held in explodes.

Touga gives his egg speech, which doesn’t make sense considering the duels aren’t in this episode…

((Touga: It’s my thing. Ok!))

and the student council starts their meeting about the explosion.

Touga: (paraphrasing) This is a travesty! Our meal ticket and her friend with benefits are in the hospital! This situation wasn’t foreseen, even by end of the world.

((Meanwhile, Akio’s so pissed off at this explosion, knowing it’s somehow Anthy’s fault, he books a flight to the Bahamas for an indefinite amount of time to drink fruity alcohol and sleep with bikini clad women who, for the purposes of this imagination spot, are old enough to vote.))

Touga: I’ve received information their lives may be in danger

Miki: It’s my fault. I just told Miss Himemiya that I wanted to eat a really spicy curry. Miss Himemiya risked her life to make me that curry.

Touga: Well, I don’t think we can lay all the blame on you Miki.

((Mostly because you haven’t even been a blip on Anthy’s radar since your dueling episode.))

Juri: (actual dialogue) The fact is our plans may have been ruined by a cup of curry.

((The dramatic music in the background is icing on the cake))

Touga gets a call from the hospital saying the girls have both been released.

((Not pictured: the student council awkwardly standing around for a minute before Touga dismisses everyone.))

With the two both in school, they’re both physically fine, but as evidenced by Utena slowly falling to the ground when Wakaba jumps on her back something is wrong.

((It’s interesting how the subtitles translate Wakaba’s Utena-sama as Utena, my love. It definitely adds some extra subtext to Utena’s legion of fan girls referring to her the same way along with Anthy’s continual use of Utena-sama until the very end of the series.))

We hear Utena speak, saying it’s all right but *gasp* she’s speaking with Anthy’s voice.

((Well *gee* I wonder what happened to these two.))

Later Nanami’s posse corner Anthy because according to them she’s acting full of herself. Nanami watches from the sidelines to see what’s going on with Miki right behind to see what she’s up to. The Anthy slap-o-meter adds another one to the counter, but this time Anthy slaps back.

Keiko: You…You slapped me.

((No sh*t))

Anthy: If you want to keep yelling that junk at me, why don’t we have a real fight? (curls her fingers into a fist)

((How much do you want to bet Anthy switched bodies with Utena just so she could “directly” fight back against her tormenters in an indirect way.))

Miki is distraught that gentle, innocent Anthy would dare to fight back against bullies.

((While this episode does have many humorous moments to the point where it could be considered a “filler” episode, Miki’s comments about “Anthy” during this episode tie into one of the overall themes of the show in that society does have sympathy for victims of abuse but only to a certain extent. If said victim fights back even once against the people who torment them then said victim is automatically considered just as bad as said tormentors.))

The episode shows a montage of Utena and Anthy doing things the normally wouldn’t do, such as Anthy playing basketball and Utena watering roses. Nanami’s posse has been taking pictures over the past week to see the train wreck they’re starting to believe they caused…. Well also to make a lot of money while selling them.

Miki (tearfully looking at a picture of Anthy)): This is terrible! This isn’t like Himemiya at all! And, besides that…! I hate myself for actually buying these.

((While played for humor the acts of people buying the photos of Anthy and Utena are pretty gross the longer you think about it. Some of those photos were taken inside their dorm and for a lot of them it looks like they don’t know they’re being watched. Another point is how if you look at the photos taken of “Anthy” all they show are her having fun, smiling, and being happy, so when Miki’s distraught over Anthy acting “like herself” I end up rolling my eyes every time.))

Touga teleports next to Nanami, overhearing her say they’ve switched personalities, and asks if Nanami had anything to do with this fantastical event. He’s also there to pick up a stack of photos the girl posse has taken of the two girls.

((Why am I not surprised))

((Now that the episode has officially revealed that the girls have switched bodies I will consistently use Utena when referring to Utena in Anthy’s body, and Anthy when referring to Anthy in Utena’s body.))

Anthy and Utena show up pissed off that Nanami and Touga have caused their accident. Nanami the genius she is says her brother had nothing to do with it and she was the one responsible. Touga is, of course, angry with Nanami after this revelation and Nanami confesses everything, while simultaneously lying her ass off.

Utena doesn’t believe Nanami’s innocence while Anthy is quiet but doesn’t look angry.

((Anthy (internally): don’t “casually” whistle, that always backfires on TV.))

Normally causing part of the school to blow up would get someone expelled or sent to prison, but in Revolutionary Girl Utena, all Nanami has to do is switch the girls back to normal and all will be forgiven.

With Nanami and her posse heading to India to get the spice originally used, we segue into a shadow girl play.

The shadow girls play is structured around a lesson on kanji, today’s “lesson” is the phrase divine justice, and how if you do bad things then bad things will happen to you in return. In other words you will face the consequences of your actions sooner or later.

((At first this looks like a commentary on Nanami’s posse switching the curry spices and having to go all the way to India in order to make everything the way it was. However as we learn later in the episode, Nanami had nothing to do with the body switching and it was a “magical occurrence.” Given the reveal that Anthy has magical powers this play is addressing Anthy’s state of mind at this point in the series, and explaining “hey, Nanami has been a total jackass to me and Utena the entire series and she was already about to pull a prank on us, I already have the power, I might as well get revenge.”))

The next scene shows Utena doing a high jump.

Anthy: I’ve never been good at sports, so it’s wonderful to see myself doing so well.

Utena: Still, we have to find some way to get back to normal.

Anthy: (knowing damn well she can change them back any time she wants to) Don’t worry. I’m sure Nanami’s doing just fine.

*cut to Nanami and her posse being chased by elephants*

((Reason #4564 I love Anthy Himemiya.))

Back from commercial the girls talk about what will happen is they have to stay in each others bodies forever.

Utena: I don’t want to end up as some sacrifice to the rose seal.

Anthy: It doesn’t matter to me if we stay this way. I don’t care about what I look like.

((This line is very chilling in retrospect because Anthy’s “sacrifice to the rose seal” is being stabbed by a million swords for eternity. One could either interpret this line as Anthy knowing that even if she becomes a different person she could never change her fate, or, subconsciously, Anthy’s so desperate for a way out she’d give Utena as a sacrifice in a chance to escape.))

Utena does care since Saionji has been hitting on her since they switched bodies.

 

((That alone is motivation to switch back A.S.A.P))

 

Saionji shows up to take “Anthy” away for some alone time. “Utena” offers to come with them, but when Saionji drags the unwilling party away “Utena” smiles and waves at them.

((The Anthy Troll-O-Meter is about to burst.))

Meanwhile Nanam’s gang takes refuge in an animal truck…only to be knocked over by another herd of elephants.

((Anthy’s really enjoying herself this episode.)) 

Back on campus Saionji takes, who he thinks is, Anthy to a storage shed saying he wants to “explore their love.” Utena is as horrified as we are at this idea. Saionji starts to unbutton his shirt demanding she see “the real him.” Utena’s response is to close her eyes, turn away, and scream in horror.

((The only reasonable response to this scenario.))

Turns out Saionji was talking about his exchange diary to Utena’s, and everyone else’s, relief.

Meanwhile while Nanami and her posse are climbing a mountain, another elephant falls on them and knocks them off the cliff.

((R.I.P. Nanami and others))

Back at the dorm Utena reflects on the ethicality of looking through Saionji’s exchange diary.

Utena: Himemiya must understand how he feels and kept this diary without telling me.

((Or she decided to stay on good terms with him in case thing with Utena went awry.))

Anthy: Oh, that’s Saionji’s exchange diary isn’t it?

Anthy tells Utena to write in and return the exchange diary because, “you happen to be Anthy Himemiya at the moment.” Utena says it isn’t right to do that, because of their interesting situation.

Anthy “misunderstands” what Utena says.

Anthy: (throws the exchange diary in the trash) Well, then, I’ll stop.

((Anthy: (internally) Oh thank God, I’ve wanted to do that for 7 episodes.))

Anthy: I only continued that diary because you didn’t say it wasn’t right.

((After all, “I can’t romance you because as Rose Bride I have to follow my fiance’s orders” is less likely to get her slapped by an entitled asshole than, “I won’t romance you because I don’t want to”.))

Utena: I’m just starting to feel a little sorry for Saionji.

Anthy: (tight smile) Ok

((Anthy; (internally) Can’t relate))

Nanami and her posse are somehow still alive after falling off a cliff and being crushed by an elephant only to be knocked off by yet another elephant while crossing a rope bridge.

Back at the dorm Utena writes her response and tries to be serious and romantic about this until she sees Saionji insulting her, deciding to spice things up.

In India Nanami’s gang is crossing the ocean still trying to find the spice

((Show writers: How are we going to fit an elephant in the middle of the ocean?

Ikuhara: Hold my beer!))

A herd of elephants on surfboards crash into them, and at this point I just want them to find the spice and go home to warm safe beds,

Saionji talks with Touga in the rose garden about how him and Anthy are made for each other.

Saionji: Not even the rules of the rose seal can keep us apart!

((Touga (internally): Sure keep telling yourself that buddy))

Utena shows up to give her response which is just the word dumbass written in red marker.

((Beautiful. Iconic. Amazing))

The girls are back from India, so most of the cast head to where they’re being dropped off. Nanami’s so entranced by Touga that she doesn’t notice Chu-Chu dropping a banana peel, slipping on it in the process. The spice container breaks and yet another elephant appears to blow the spice away.

((Anthy trying to hold back tears of joy: (internally) That was so beautiful. I didn’t even plan for that to happen. This is the greatest week I’ve had in years. Chu-Chu I will make you as many sweets as you want.))

Nanami’s distraught and says she can’t get any more because the spice takes 200 years to make.

Shadow girl 1: As I said, divine justice

Shadow girl 2: It is?

((If you f*ck with curry, the curry will f*with you.))

Back in the dorm sympathetic main cast members stay with Utena as she bemoans having to be stuck in a different body the rest of her life.

Anthy decides enough is enough so she makes another batch of curry. Nanami’s group storms in saying that *gasp* they didn’t switch curry spices, meaning Anthy’s cooking caused the body switching incident.

Miki’s delighted saying Anthy invented a new, unique recipe.

Anthy: Oh, my. I don’t know what to say.

((Anthy: (internally) Miki! You are useful to keep around after all.))

Saionji creeps in front of the window asking why Anthy wrote dumbass in his journal of imaginary romance. He decides to forgive her if “Anthy” writes him a declaration of love instead.

Anthy: (paraphrased) Hey asshole who slapped me around the first two episodes, eat this curry that we have literally just established had some magical body switching effect.

Saionji and Chu-Chu eat a bite before anyone can stop him.

Anthy: A new invention.

EXPLOSION

((I don’t know why people bully Anthy so much in the first arc of the series, she’s terrifying.))

After the second explosion Utena and Anthy are back to normal, so now they just have to work on getting Saionji and Chu-Chu back to normal.

 

((Wakaba: I can’t have sex with a monkey

Utena: Get me through this week.

Anthy: This is the only time I will ever like you Saionji, you make Chu-Chu look adorable!))

 

((After the events of the episode:

Akio: What do you mean the explosion caused you and Utena to switch bodies?

Anthy: Yeah, for some strange reason my cooking had that effect.

Akio: (close to rage) And you didn’t think to tell me that while I was away.

Anthy: (tight smile) You told me about all the fun you had on vacation, it seemed a waste to spoil it.))


	9. Goodbye Saionji…Wait this show has a deep plot?!

Utena hears about a duel between Saionji and Touga and is concerned until she sees that’s it’s a fake duel with wooden swords.

((Visual pun: the wooden swords in buckets fall slightly in a still upright position as we hear how “excited” Touga and Saionji’s fan girls are seeing them fight.))

Touga ends up winning the duel in one blow, to Utena’s surprise and delight.

Fan girl #1: [Touga’s] my prince!

Utena: (looks at ring) Prince?

((Utena, sweetie, she means that metaphorically…and yes the show uses metaphor as a plot device but that’s not the point.))

Touga tells Saionji not to be so angry with him, calling him “old friend,” to Saionji’s displeasure. Touga refers to Saionji as his only friend, but Saionji says that he refuses to loose to him.

((In the first arc of the series Saionji is the closest we have to a big bad due to his antagonistic tendencies, however he like the rest of the student council are just pawns of “end of the world,” and his posturing in front of Touga is more complicated than it first appears to be.))

Back in the rose garden Anthy is tending to her roses, while Chu-Chu is playfully annoying a bug. The bug is eaten by a large green frog, which starts latching on top of Chu-Chu, all the while Chu-Chu is crying for him to stop.

((On the surface this looks like a funny parallel showing Saionji’s about to annoy the crap out of Anthy simply by existing, but given the frog’s appearance at the end of the series and Akio’s method of “family bonding” it gives off a vibe of **VERY** unpleasant foreshadowing.))

Saionji: Why must you always come between me and Anthy damn you?!

((Saionji if a pet monkey is able to stop you from hooking up with a girl, it’s probably a sign she’s not interested.))

Utena sees Saionji heading to the rose garden saying that it’s his stubbornness that’s his worst trait.

((I would argue that his abusive behavior, sense of entitlement, and immaturity are his worst traits, but you do you Utena.))

Saionji vows to win Anthy back in his second duel, and kicks Chu-Chu and the frog to the curb.

((Was that really necessary!?))

Utena brags saying if Saionji couldn’t defeat Touga then there’s no way he can defeat her.

Saionji: We’ve faced each other hundreds of times over the last 10 years. Today was a fluke.

((translation: I AM AWESOME! I AM! I HAD A LEG CRAMP THAT’S ALL!))

Saionji: I will possess the rose bride.

Utena: Do you really love Himemiya?

((Given he just said possess and doesn’t even say her name, I’m guessing no.))

Turns out the only reason Saionji fights the duels is so he can beat Touga.

Utena figures out pretty quickly that to Saionji the duels are some elaborate display of asserting his “masculine dominance” and is disgusted with him.

Saionji: Together with Anthy, I will take possession of eternity.

Utena: Eternity?

Saionji: [Anthy] told me that she, too, desires something eternal.

 

We get a flashback of Touga and Saionji riding a bike in the middle of the rain when they come across a church holding a funeral. The funeral is reveled to be Utena’s parents’ and Utena has gone missing. Touga decides to look for her, and the two boys come across a room with three coffins with roses on them. Touga opens one of the coffins, showing Utena’s inside.

Utena: Please, don’t open it.

Saionji is shocked, while Touga tries getting her to leave the coffin.

Touga: I won’t tell anyone. I’m always an ally to girls. I’m chivalrous, after all.

((I know Touga’s just a kid, but uuuuggghhh)))

Saionji: But why are you hiding [in the coffin]?

Utena: Because I belong here. Because [my parents] are in the coffins next to me. My mother and father died today, but there was an extra coffin here. It must be meant for me. Living on… it’s just making me sick…. There’s no such thing as something eternal. So I’ve had enough. I’ll never come out of this coffin.

((This is the point where Revolutionary Girl Utena starts becoming the allegorical masterpiece fans know it to be. The opening lines of the show become lies of omission. Utena wasn’t just sad when her parents died she was suicidally depressed, showing that whatever information we were given at the beginning of the series will turn out false sooner or later. Utena wanted to end living in a world that hurt her, but in order to do that she had to stay in the coffin. Coffins hereafter represent the things people will do to survive a terrible situation that work for a while, but will kill them emotionally or physically if they continue it. In Utena’s case it’s physically since if she stays she’ll be buried alive along with her parents, but later in the episode we’ll see Anthy in a coffin implying what we’ll know later on in the series is Anthy is either emotionally dying or is already dead because of years of co-conspiring with her brother and her role as the rose bride in general.))

Touga decides to leave, while Saionji, in a brief moment of common sense, saying they can’t leave her in the coffin.

Touga: Then show her something eternal.

((As much as I’d like to scream at Touga, “Dammit child, we have a girl who’s about to be buried alive this is not the time for metaphorical bullsh*t,” I understand the show’s reasoning. After all how many times, especially when we’re younger, have we not helped someone not because we didn’t want to, but because we didn’t know how. Also, if what we learn about Touga in the movie extends to the tv series, then Touga’s reactions to seeing Utena in the coffin are extra heartbreaking because Utena in a sense is asking him to give her hope, and Touga’s seemingly mature reactions through the scene are just of a child who has already seen it all, and even thinking, because he’s experienced the cruelty of the world as much or even more so than Utena, that she’s better off in that coffin.))

Saionji says the girl left the coffin the next day, feeling different than before. Saionji asks if Touga did anything to help her, and he says no. Saionji doesn’t believe him and thus begins the metaphorical dick swinging contest the two have today.

((Miki’s problem in his dueling episodes was how he idealized Anthy and it was his idealization that brought his downfall, this episode reveals that Saionji has the same issue involving Touga. Instead of believing Touga when he said he had no idea about what to do, Saionji created this mental image of Touga as this perfect person who could do anything, as opposed to seeing him as someone equally messed up and confused as he is. Naturally this led to him resenting Touga and wanting to beat him in order to destroy the image Saionji himself created.))

Anthy: Someday, I’d like to go to that castle floating in the sky. Something eternal dwells inside it.

((What Anthy said is the biggest load of crap in this episode, and Saionji’s the episode’s focal point! Anthy knows it’s a lie, and that the castle is just an illusion created by Akio. Anthy knows that all that’s waiting for her and the winning duelist is Akio, a million swords, and a desperate attempt to give Akio his power back, and to her nothing’s ever going to change.))

Back at the student council meeting Juri tells Touga and Miki about her discussion with Utena about the price she met as a child, and she came to Ohtori just to see him. Touga gets a big rush of excitement when he hears this saying how Utena’s a romantic at heart.

Touga: A prince. I see.

((And thus we have the seeds of Touga’s plan.))

Utena, possibly remembering the events of her parents’ funeral after her discussion with Saionji, muses over how she got her ring, saying the prince was her first love, and that the ring must have been an engagement ring.

((It’s interesting to note how Utena’s saying her first love was an idealized view of men similar to how girls look to Disney princes in media to see how falling in love works, emphasized by her saying it had to have been an engagement ring even though the two only met for a few minutes. Utena holding on to that ring says how she doesn’t want to give up her idealized man and by extension an idealized view of the world.))

Touga creeps up in Utena’s space, and she asks him about the castle they see when dueling. Touga says that’s the place where she’ll meet her prince someday.

((Well… he’s not wrong.))

Touga grabs Utena by the waist asking if her prince was someone like him.

((Despite the borderline sexual harassment, the white roses circling Touga indicate how Utena’s starting to think of him as her prince.))

Utena pushes him off and walks away blushing.

((I’ve seen this type of situation in media where it’s subtly framed as, “she seems angry but she really wants it.” This show deconstructs that by showing that Utena genuinely does not like that, but she does want to find out if he’s her idealized man and any form of “secretly liking” that moment is just her being confused as to whether she would like being with him.))

In Saionji’s room he seemingly gets a letter from end of the world.

((I like the little detail of the picture with Touga and Saionji as children, indicating there’s a part of him that wants to go back to the time when they were friends.))

Cut to the shadow girls’ play about one girl saying she saw a u.f.o while the other says it’s a shooting star. The girls give evidence for and against the idea that it’s a u.f.o. The girl who believed in u.f.o’s goes into how she no longer believes in Santa, wizards, fairies, princes on white horses, and true friendship doesn’t exist so she asks if she could still have u.f.os.

((On one level this is about Saionji’s failed friendship with Touga. Series wise this provides some foreshadowing about how the prince Utena remembers no longer exists. Meta wise the show was adapted from a manga where the fairy tale aspects were meant to be straightforward as opposed to metaphorical. Meaning that yes, a prince saved Utena one day, and yes Anthy remained the static damsel in distress character through the entire story. The manga mostly covered the student council arc of the show with bits and pieces of the last arc, with most of the storyline covered in 12 episodes the production members started brainstorming what to do next, leading to the mind-screwy nature of the show we know and love.))

Back at the dorm Anthy’s nowhere in sight and Utena gets a call from someone, revealed to be Touga, saying Anthy has been kidnapped and she needs to head to the dueling arena.

Cut to Anthy being dragged to the dueling arena begging to go back to Utena, As Saionji’s about to open the dueling arena Anthy pushes him aside saying she’s not allowed to go to the dueling arena if there isn’t a duel scheduled. Saionji knocks Anthy down and as he pulls the lever, some unseen person knocks Saionji unconscious.

((Why does Anthy seem so worried? Simple, the illusions of the castle are created by Akio a.k.a. “End of The World” and since Anthy knows there isn’t a duel planned she knows Akio won’t have that illusion created, and once the illusions falter then game over, they’ll have to start over. For the second time in the series, Anthy is blindsided and has no idea what to do. As to who knocked Saionji unconscious, one would infer that it would be Touga since it was his plan to trick Saionji to go to the dueling arena. However Touga’s plan is only to “save” Utena once Saionji tries to duel with her, meaning he won’t show up until later. That leaves Anthy as the one who did it, leading to the dueling arena scene, what is probably Anthy’s most malicious moment in the series so far.))

Utena hurries to the dueling arena gates, where she spies an unconscious Saionji. Utena asks where Anthy is, since she’s nowhere in sight. Utena’s choice of words makes Saionji remember the night of the girl in the coffin, revealing even he doesn’t know where Anthy is.

The two head to the dueling arena where they see Anthy in a rose coffin.

((Symbolically this is meant to show that Anthy is just as trapped in her own issues as Utena was. Tying into Anthy’s role as the all-knowing-witch she remembered Saionji’s issues involving the girl in the coffin and used that memory to get revenge on him for terrifying her into believing she lost a chance to gain back her brother’s powers.))

The coffin heads up into the air along with several platforms that spring up.

End of the World seemingly gives his promise of the castle coming down by destroying it and the platforms Utena is on. Once Utena saves Anthy everything returns back to normal, and Saionji is pissed, not because Anthy’s not ok, but rather because he couldn’t be her savior and reach eternity.

Utena shakes Anthy until she wakes up and asks what happened. Anthy says she has no idea, and freaks out when Saionji appears behind Utena with a sword.

((Anthy is genuinely hurt after this illusion because the only times we see people in coffins through the series is when they’re emotionally vulnerable. In order to hurt Saionji for scaring her Anthy had to retreat into a place that caused her great emotional pain and reminded her of why she became the rose bride in the first place. Anthy genuinely was not expecting Utena to be there so the smile on Anthy’s face was her happy that Utena was there after the emotional strain. Saionji appearing behind them triggered her memory of the townspeople and warned Utena so that he wouldn’t stab her in the back. It’s a moment where Anthy’s malice, vulnerability, and foreshadowing of her growing loving and trusting relationship with Utena seamlessly blend together.))

Touga “saves” Utena by jumping in front of Saionji and getting cut in Utena’s place.

((AAAGGHHH MY SHIRT!))

He tells Utena he did this because her prince was someone like him and because he’s chivalrous.

Cut to Touga in bed with a bandage and three girls wrapped around him.

((Given the sexy discretion sheet, I don’t think they’re his nurses.))

Touga gets a call from End of the world and reveals to him, and by extension the audience, that he’s the one who sent the letter to Saionji and thus revealing his plan to set up a situation to save her just so he could have a chance to seduce her.

((Given how the role of chivalrous knight or prince in media is a man who saves women from other men, implying that women have to rely on men “but make sure they’re good men.” Given the show’s deconstruction of fairy tales, this plan is meant to point out how flawed that frame of mindset is considering it can be very hard to tell the difference between someone who’s “good” and someone who’s “bad.” ))

Touga: Yes, Saionji’s being expelled.

((Akio: I know this Touga **I’m the goddamn principal**.))

Touga: A person who truly believes in friendship is a fool.

((Damn, this episode almost made me feel sorry for Saionji…key word is almost.))


	10. Someone call the A.S.P.C.A  A.S.A.P

Saionji is officially gone, Utena is sympathetic, Juri is not, and Miki isn’t surprised that Saionji would kidnap Anthy.

((So it seems the rest of the student council doesn’t know the whole story of what happened in the dueling arena.))

Touga, the sneaky rat, tells Saionji he’ll do all he can to reverse his expulsion. Saionji asks Touga to give Anthy his exchange diary, and Touga says he will while mentally crossing his fingers considering he throws it into the incinerator.

((Wow, this show is actually making me feel a little bad for Saionji, that was cold.))

((15 episodes later:

Saionji: How did Anthy react when you gave her the exchange diary?

Touga:( making fake static sounds) I’m sorry… we’re breaking up… I’m having a hard time understanding you…

Saionji: Touga! This face-to-face conversation!))

Not even a fractured arm can stop Touga from bombastically reciting his egg speech as the student council heads to another meeting. Another duel is scheduled to take place with Miki volunteering on the grounds Touga’s wound hasn’t healed.

((As Saionji slashed Touga in the back in the previous episode, I’m starting to assume Touga’s plot point arm injury was a sex related one.))

 

Miki and Juri start to argue over who will duel Utena, while Touga says there is another duelist. Juri questions who is worth to be a duelist while Touga just smiles.

((What are you planning?))

Meanwhile in the rose garden we hear Nanami slap Utena.

((The fact that Anthy wasn’t the one who got slapped is one of the show’s top 10 plot twists.))

Nanami says that the injury Touga got by jumping in front of a sword is clearly Utena’s fault because she was the one he protected.

Utena agrees saying it was her fault for “not being careful” and quietly accepts whatever “punishment” Nanami throws at her.  
((It’s very painful to watch Utena despair over what she thinks will make her less that the lofty prince goal she sets for herself. She tends to take whatever consequences happen, that aren’t even her fault, as evidence of personal failing. Her habit of saying “it was my fault” “if I hadn’t done this things wouldn’t be as bad” only become more disturbing when Akio comes into the picture…))

Touga shows up and tells Nanami to stop bullying Utena claiming his wounds aren’t worth the trouble, and as long as Utena’s ok he’ll be fine.

((Touga accomplishes two things in this scene. 1.Utena will see him as a kind princely figure who will even tell off his own sister to help out a girl in need. 2. Push Nanami’s buttons by being physically affectionate with Utena.))

Touga “reassures” Utena that Nanami will change her mind and one day she’ll see it isn’t Utena’s fault.

((We won’t get to that point until episode 32, but she will see the truth.))

Back at the dorm, Utena’s self doubt over believing she accidentally led Touga into a situation where he got hurt makes her start wondering if a girl can ever become a prince. Anthy walks in and asks what’s wrong, and Utena, desperate to get things off her chest spills everything and asks if she should go visit him. Anthy shows Utena a cat she brought in, and asks if Utena wants to visit Touga, saying that flowers are in bloom and it’s common to bring flowers to a sick person.

((In this scene we see glimpses of Anthy’s extreme perceptiveness, putting together the events of the previous episode and confirming it via Utena’s tendency to spill her guts out over what’s on her mind. Anthy’s solution, actively visiting and giving a gift, is the best solution given Utena’s “must act **now** ” tendencies. Granted while Anthy’s hoping to instigate Nanami’s desire to duel by giving Touga a cat as a birthday present, Utena showing up isn’t a factor in that plan, since Anthy could just show up by herself on account of being “involved” with the student council implying that Anthy really does care about Utena as a friend as opposed to seeing her as just another duelist.))

We get a flashback to a birthday party Touga had years ago where Nanami got Touga a stray kitten as a birthday present. Instead of seeing it as a sweet birthday present, everyone is disgusted over how dirty she and the cat is. Touga, seeing Nanami’s devotion says it’s the best present of all while kissing away her tears.

((So in the Kiryuu family Touga was the only one who cared about Nanami’s feelings as opposed to just being concerned with outward appearance. This episode seems to show how Nanami went from loving her brother in a healthy way to an unhealthy codependent way.))

Outside Touga’s practicing with his sword worrying Nanami, because as earlier stated he got slashed with a sword recently. Despite Nanami’s pleas Touga continues whacking his sword until she forcibly stops him. Touga wipes away Nanami’s tears saying nothing bad is going to happen to him, and Nanami asks him for an innocent kiss, similar to when they were kids. Touga refuses, saying they’re not children anymore, and goes to bed leaving Nanami alone with her thoughts, showing us a cardboard box in the rain.

((So it seems that Touga plans for Nanami to be the secret duelist. Given Nanami’s pissed off attitude over Touga getting hurt, coupled by Nanami’s extreme attachment to him led Touga to see the perfect opportunity to use that to his advantage, given how he practices with his bandages visible and refusing to engage in affectionate platonic physical contact leading Nanami to later believe she has to express her devotion through other means.))

Utena and Anthy go to see Touga, with Utena finding out that today is Touga’s birthday, something Anthy already knew and chose not to tell her.

((Reason #485488 why I love Anthy Himemiya))

Juri’s tired of waiting the entire episode to find out who the next duelist is so, ignoring party etiquette, she asks him who will duel tomorrow night.

Utena shows up to give Touga his get well present, which Touga uses as an invitation to flirt with her. Nanami goes across the room to slap the flowers out of Utena’s hands.

((Touga doesn’t react to this, and given Nanami’s general displeasure around girls who hang around him, coupled with how the previous night Touga said they shouldn’t be so affectionate since they’re older, implies that he hoped that Nanami’s extreme reaction would happen.))

Nanami still blames Utena for hurting Touga, and Anthy steps in saying it was Saionji’s fault before Nanami slaps her too.

((Since Anthy took a few steps to the right before collapsing dramatically I can only assume that Anthy decided that if she’s going to be slapped she may as well have fun doing it.))

Nanami starts to turn the blame to Anthy, but stops when she hears a cat inside the present Anthy’s holding.

((Anthy: Don’t mess with this witch *mic drop*))

Nanami: I absolutely won’t have someone like [Utena] have my brother.

Given that they are at a party with a bunch of teenagers, everyone speculates that Utena and Touga are a couple despite Utena’s protests.

We get a close up of Touga smiling at the situation before him.

((Touga’s internal monologue: I’ve all but convinced Nanami to fight in tomorrow’s duel and everyone thinks me and Utena are hooking up, best birthday ever!))

Touga tries to look better in Utena’s eyes by saying it’s his fault Nanami acts the way she does.

Utena: When you think your brother is the world’s greatest man every other guy becomes a waste of time.

Touga: (resisting the urge to take off his shirt) Did Miki say that? He likes to talk.

((Touga: (internally) Even when we hooked up the guy would not shut the hell up! I was **this** close to using duct tape.))

Touga tells the story of how Nanami gave him a kitten for his birthday years ago and it was his favorite gift. Anthy gives Touga his present, a kitten.

((How convenient.))

Nanami has a flashback to when she wanted to pick apples with Touga but he wanted to play with the kitten. The kitten nips him, causing Nanami to hit it, infuriating Touga. He screams at Nanami to go away, and Nanami, jealous of the cat seals it in a cardboard box and it cuts to…Nanami challenging Utena to a duel.

((It seems that Nanami and Touga’s relationship hasn’t changed much from that day.))

With Touga slipping a ring on Nanami’s finger, she is officially a duelist.

Miki: You mean Nanami is also a duelist?

((Miki, I just said…. Touga was right, you do like to talk.))

The shadow girls start their play, deciding on what to name their new kitten, each name shadow girl #2 suggests becoming worse than the last. When shadow girl one says they can call him kitty like she originally wanted to, shadow girl #2 starts calling him Juliano, to #1’s displeasure.

((One thing I’ve noticed is how the cat keeps growing through the play something the girls don’t see until the end, reflecting how Nanami suppressed the memory of the cat until evidence pilled up in her face.))

Once everyone’s at the dueling arena, Nanami, fueled by devotion to her brother, and Utena fuel by adrenaline after climbing all those stairs, exchange words confirming the duel will take place.

((Utena: (looking at Touga) Come on man! Say the word and she’ll call this off!))

With everyone armed the duel officially begins, with Nanami as a surprisingly amazing opponent.

Nanami: Don’t underestimate me! My brother has always been the most important thing in my life!... Of course I know about sword fighting as well!

((So Nanami’s been at the “tournaments” surrounded by screaming fan-girls, I’m assuming she created a hit list afterwards.))

Nanami: My ring was given to me by my prince. My prince will lead me to victory.

((Here we have a foil of Nanami and Utena, and even Anthy. Nanami like Utena was given a ring by her “prince” and both parties are willing to fight in order to live up to the ideals of their prince. Nanami and Anthy are both willing to fight to the end for their brothers/princes and believe that unconditional, unquestioned devotion is the best way to victory.))

Utena knocks the sword out of Nanami’s hands winning the duel, however Nanami continues fighting, using a hidden dagger as her new weapon, Touga looking on with a cold expression. Utena defends herself saying fighting is pointless now, but it’s only when Touga shouts for Nanami to stop that she does so.

We see the last part of Nanami’s flashback where she sends the kitten down the river, saying it’s the cat’s fault because he came between her and Touga. However when she looks back at what she’s done, remorse floods through her, but is unable to do anything to prevent the kitten’s death.

((It’s been speculated that Nanami’s bad luck with animals through the series is due to either Anthy’s powers as a witch, due to her adoration of animals, or karmic retribution for killing the cat as a child. I fall in the later category because one thing the duelists Juri, Miki, and Nanami have in common is that the choices they made when younger that didn’t seem important at the time later turned out to have extreme consequences that followed them to the present day, and Nanami’s bad luck could be a literal, physical manifestation of that.))

Nanami vows to Touga that she’ll win, but he teleports over there to comfort her saying she doesn’t need to fight for him anymore, because he’ll protect her. She asks Touga to forgive her for the duel and, internally, for murdering his cat.

Utena: Once in a while, you really do act like a big brother.

((As terrible as what Nanami did was, it’s still just an impulsive decision made by a child who didn’t want to lose the one person close to her. Nanami’s actions in the present seem to be an extension of what happened when she was younger, causing her to believe that if Touga no longer views her as the most important person in her life, then it was all for nothing. What’s worse is Touga’s actions through this scene, his cold expression implying he isn’t invested in what’s going on, and the only reason he’s comforting her is so he can look good in front of Utena, showing Touga’s love as more hollow than Nanami believes it to be.))

 

Touga: (to Utena) I can’t ignore a damsel in distress. It’s the nature of being a prince.

((And with that Utena is fully convinced Touga is her prince.))

Touga internally says that now that he knows what makes Utena tick the power of Dios will be his.

((During the dueling song, lines like “staged setting” reflected Touga using Nanami as a pawn for the dueling arena, while lines such as “The baby carriage at the end of immortality” and “Two relationships, two births” reflect Nanami’s desire to go back to the days where she can be with Touga with no outside distractions, and show normal affection towards each other without anyone else adding in creepy subtext. “Time is hypothetical, illusory” and “All alone in the cosmic theatre” show how Nanami is still stuck in time at that day where she killed the cat, and can’t face the fact that her and Touga have some things they don’t know about each other and to the point where they drift and become strangers.))


	11. Love, loss, and Dueling: Part 1

Utena and Wakaba are enjoying lunch on the hillside, Wakaba making Utena an elaborate meal despite Utena’s already satisfying meal of 1 snack. Wakaba is insistent on giving Utena this lunch and after glomping her both roll down the hill, one enthused, the other annoyed.

((Is this relevant to the episode, no. Is it cute as hell, yes.))

Choosing to eat on a flat surface this time, the girls enjoy their lunch alone, with Anthy showing up to join the party. Her delicious brown lunch is made up of takoyaki (presumably from the octopus Nanami brought a few episodes), yakisoba, and… Chu-Chu?

Anthy: (smiling) Oh, my.

((Don’t act like you didn’t see him crawl into your lunchbox earlier.))

Utena: Wow, it’s pretty normal food, after all.

Wakaba: “Pretty normal”? Just what were you expecting?

((Exploding curry?))

Close by, Touga is stalking Utena using opera binoculars.

Miki: What are you looking at?

Touga: I’m looking at a lonely princess.

((I don’t think that answers his question, but ok.))

Miki: You’re talking about an illusion?

Touga: It’s quite real. Something I feel just by looking at her.

((No comment))

Touga walks over close enough to where the girls can see him, and Utena starts flashing back to the time he “saved” her. Utena reveals that she’s truly thinking of him as the prince she met when she was a child.

At a student council meeting, the three discuss the events of last week’s episode, namely how much Nanami sucked. Juri smartly points out that the only reason Touga picked Nanami was because he knew she **would** lose.

Touga: I was only trying to treat my dear sister well.

((I was unaware that psychological torment and manipulation were acts of care.))

Miki: Like a pet cat?

Touga: *silence*

((Exactly))

Touga: The fault for losing the duel lies within Nanami herself.

((translation: stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself))

Touga: And even if someone does lay a plot it’s the victim’s fault for falling into it.

((This explains why Akio and Touga got along so well after the Black Rose arc.))

Touga: If one has deep feelings for a person it’s only a matter of time before those feelings betray them. Betray them as strongly as those feelings are strong.

((A lesson no doubt taught in Akio, Touga, and Saionji’s class; How to be a Domestic Abuser: 101 ways to mistreat people without ever taking responsibility for your own actions.))

Utena finds Touga going into the rose garden to talk with Anthy. The two have small talk, with Anthy talking about eating lunch with Wakaba and Utena earlier that day, Anthy saying she’d like to make a lunch like Wakaba made.

((Whenever it’s brought up whether Anthy loves or hates being the Rose Bride, I do think Anthy loves parts of it especially earlier in the series. From Anthy’s point of view she couldn’t have met Utena or Wakaba without being at Ohtori Academy, and by extension being the Rose Bride, similar to how people who grew up in abusive families or were in abusive relationship still have some pleasant memories about that time period not related to the abuse.))

Touga says that it isn’t the Rose bride’s duty to have outside interests, and Anthy should concern herself with standing around and looking pretty, and if it were up to him he would never let her leave the birdcage where she tends the roses.

((Well f*ck you too Touga.))

Utena shows up calling Touga out on only seeing Anthy as the Rose bride, and she’s just an ordinary girl.

((As much as I want to agree with Utena, after all I sincerely doubt Anthy, like most people, doesn’t want to spend her life as a glorified ornament, ordinary people can’t summon swords out of their chests.))  
Utena basically orders Anthy to tell Touga she really hates being the rose bride.

Anthy: (sadly) Yes. I hate being the Rose Bride.

Touga starts laughing and says that since Anthy is currently Utena’s bride, implying that’s the only reason she’d say that.

((While I’m not a fan of Touga, especially in this episode, he’s got a point; Utena’s projecting her feelings about the Rose Bride nonsense onto Anthy. While Anthy does hate Touga’s idea of standing around and looking pretty the rest of her life, the basic hidden agenda of sneaking around to give Akio his power back and, as we learn later on, avoiding her fate of the “million swords,” is something Anthy is more than happy to do.))

Touga says his real business is with Utena, he has something important to tell her, “as her prince.”

Utena: I thought so. I thought you were my prince

((*bangs head against the wall*))

Touga: You were crying when we met weren’t you?

((Touga: I hope so, cause I’m just pulling crap out of my ass at this point.))

Touga: Crying streams of shining tears.

Utena: That’s right. I was crying.

((The first time I watched this episode, part of me hoped that Utena would say no to that statement.))

Touga: Do you want proof? *Goes over to kiss her* Tell me did it feel like this?

((*pulls out pepper spray* Don’t even think about it!))

Touga: *does not kiss her* Forgive me that was indiscreet.

((*puts away pepper spray* that’s what I thought))

Touga says it’s inappropriate to kiss in front of the rose bride, something Utena agrees with when she sees Anthy’s upset.

((What Anthy wanted to say: Utena! What the hell! We’re engaged! Can you at least wait until I leave the room before sucking his face off!))

Touga, to Utena’s, and no one else’s, surprise, challenges her to a duel.

Back at the dorm, Utena angsts over dueling her presumed prince.

((Oh, Utena, honey, wait till you get to episode 38.))

Just as Utena considers renouncing her duelist role, Anthy says she has tea ready.

((Anthy: (internally) You nearly make out with a guy in my presence, then you have the audacity to break up with me when I’m not in the room, witch please!))

Anthy asks if Utena liked the lunch she made.

((It’s kind of sweet hearing Anthy gush over the meals she makes, especially after learning that Akio is practically a gourmet chef.))

Anthy says that Wakaba is fun to hang around, and Utena says that Anthy should become friends with her because Wakaba is a good friend.

Anthy becomes silent and looks at Chu-Chu.

((Anthy: (internally) Yeah, no. Can’t be around people. Don’t like them. Can’t trust them.))

Utena jokes that Chu-Chu is just as fun as 10 people.

Anthy: I… I wish I had more friends.

The table disappears highlighting the distance between her and Utena.

((There’s one question to be asked of this scene, is Anthy lying to Utena? Yes and no. As much as I joke about Anthy hating humanity with a burning passion, it has to be lonely with only a monkey, your brother, and some people who fight over you every week, for company, however because of her hatred, stemming from distrust and being hurt physically and emotionally, she can’t will herself to make friends. In other words, even if the statement itself isn’t true, Anthy wants it to be true.))

Utena says that anyone who would talk to Anthy would instantly like her, if she opens her heart to them.

Anthy: Open my heart?

((Anthy: (internally) At least it will be easier for them to stab it.))

Utena offers to help her make friends, something that triggers Anthy’s insincere smile.

Utena starts walking to the dueling arena.

Utena: I have to protect Himemiya. I know I can turn Himemiya back into a regular girl. I won’t give her to the others. Not even to my prince.

((Throughout these scenes Utena wants to be the one who “saves” Anthy and feels like making friends will lead to this goal. This motivation means that, in Utena’s mind, Anthy will only be happy if she does what Utena wants her to do. While there’s nothing wrong with Utena wanting Anthy to be happy, and live her life outside of being a restricted plaything for whatever duelist has her, this method leaves Anthy in a difficult position of just agreeing with whatever Utena says, therefore never truly being free.))

Meanwhile during the shadow girls’ play they do a William Tell-esque performance. The father tells his son to put an apple on his head, where the father shoots through the apple with an arrow…for the 37,919th time. The father continues to do this despite the son’s not so subtle desire to stop doing this, and sarcastically asks what will happen to the father and son, now an eternal archery machine. The play ends presumably with the father accidentally killing his son with an arrow shot.

((The play seems to be a metaphor for Utena telling Anthy to do what she thinks is best for her, without realizing the damaging implications or effects that has on her.))

Once Utena is at the dueling arena, the stock footage changes to her and Anthy looking at each other then reaching out to touch hands.

((Les Yay aside, when the stock footage changes you know there’s some serious sh*t about to go down.))

When the song ends, the duel begins.

((Touga is given a red rose, a flower color symbolizing power and lust. No comment))

Touga: I’m afraid I must take your precious bird away from you.

((This seems to be a call back to the conversation he had with Anthy of him wanting her to always be in the birdcage tending to the roses with gross addition of how guys sometimes refer to girls as “chicks.”))

When Utena gets her sword, she immediately lunges at Touga, who deflects her easily. Utena seems take it easy when fighting him, mostly due to her still viewing him as her prince.

Touga: Those who fight with compassion lose their lives.

((Touga, you’re trying to knock a flower off her chest, this isn’t exactly life and death.))

Utena and Touga start battling for real and there is some extra focus on Anthy.

((It’s part of Akio and Anthy’s plan to have Utena lose this round of the duel in order for her to win the next duel in order to test and see if she’s the one who will give Akio his power back, nonetheless it must hurt Anthy to see Utena go easy on a guy who might be her prince, since Anthy knows who Utena’s real prince is, and because of that it seemingly confirms that Utena will give up on her when she’s most needed.))

Touga insults her skills with a sword, and says the real power will come when Dios manifests himself, placing all of Utena’s victories onto Dios.

((Touga, you were there when she dueled Nanami and Saionji, the first time, clearly Dios isn’t the only reason she won, or are you just that arrogant when it comes to your sword skills?))

He taunts her into releasing that power, and when she lunges at him at full power he stops, seemingly forfeiting the duel. When Utena remembers he might be her prince she lowers her sword, providing him the perfect opportunity to cut off her rose.

((Time for Touga’s duel song. He has a lot of lyrics about masks, reflecting his deception about being Utena’s prince for this episode, and, well, most of the first arc, really. It also has a double meaning regarding Anthy’s role in the duels, meaning Anthy is deceiving the characters and the audience about how much she knows she knows about the duels, and how much power she has, hence the frequent cuts to Anthy. The lines about time, human nature, and the ages are unchanging tell us how the people in Ohtori haven’t changed, symbolic of how humanity rarely changes. The song ends saying the “mask” of words’s origin is “you,” this could have several meaning, one being that Utena was the one who lost and the reason Touga began his deception was for that purpose, or it could be about how Touga’s choice of who he claimed he was, was unintentionally Dios, or Akio, the one who created the duels.))

The duel is over; Touga has won and says now Utena doesn’t have to worry about the duels anymore. Just as he’s about to leave with Anthy, Utena begs Touga to let Anthy go so she can be a normal girl, and that Anthy needs her and if she’s not near Anthy then Anthy will be alone again.

((While part of this is Utena’s ego telling her she’s the only one who can save Anthy, there is some genuine hurt here, over Utena believing that her and Anthy have become friends over the past dozen episodes, and Utena doesn’t want to lose her.))

Touga asks Anthy if she’s happy being the Rose Bride, and she says she is revealing she lied to Utena when she earlier said she hated it. Touga says that she doesn’t need friends, asking if she likes being alone, something Anthy also says yes to. Touga says that Anthy only said she hated being the Rose Bride because Utena wanted her to hate being the Rose Bride. Touga says that the Rose Bride only answers to her current master’s wishes , and now that Utena has lost the duel, she no longer has any connection to Anthy, so he tells Anthy to say goodbye to her.

((Poor Utena, and poor Anthy!))

Once Anthy has said her farewells, she and Touga leave the dueling arena, leaving Utena there alone with memories of spending time with Anthy flood through her mind, begging for their relationship to not be a lie.

((Well…that was fun.))


	12. Love, Loss, and Dueling: part 2 Utena’s Triumph

Flashbacks to the previous episode recap what we already know: Touga has won the duel, only this time…

Touga: Even though you fancied yourself to be a prince in the end you were just a girl….Well this is a good chance for you to be a normal girl, isn’t it?

((Given how Touga didn’t say that in the previous episode this is likely Utena’s own insecurity regarding her failure in the previous episode and because of that failure she hears it through Touga’s voice.))

Back in the present, Utena hasn’t been coming to class, choosing, instead, to sulk in her dorm room. Wakaba goes there to find out what’s causing her slump and if possible try to cheer her up.

((The title of the show may be Revolutionary Girl Utena, but we all know Wakaba is the real MVP.))

Wakaba’s diagnosis is a serious case of slackoff-itus, but starts being suspicious asking where Anthy is.

Wakaba: Did you have a fight?

((You’re half right.))

If the episode’s goal was to make the Utena x Anthy shippers go through boxes of tissues they succeeded, flashing back to Anthy and Chu-Chu packing up their stuff to go off with Touga.

((This episode’s conflict is based on one question: what motivates Utena to keep fighting? Anthy’s established in the previous episode that she, on some level, does like being the rose Bride so Touga defeating Utena in the previous episode could be viewed as a blessing from a certain perspective. After all, with Anthy ok with being the Rose bride and Utena’s loss meaning she no longer has to battle duels she hates, what does Utena want so badly she’d fight till the end to keep?))

When Wakaba realizes Utena’s not going to reveal anything about her mental state, she offers to fix Utena’s jacket after seeing that it’s torn, which Utena refuses since she has another uniform.

The next day Utena shows up in *Gasp!* a girl’s uniform.

((Note: Utena’s legions of lesbian fans adore her in this outfit too.))

fan #1: I think I like her best this way.

((A girl more attractive? When she follows traditional feminine gender roles? Groundbreaking…))

Wakaba: (sarcastic, obviously) It looks like you like that uniform, too.

Utena: Yeah… It’s normal. From tomorrow on, I’ll just wear this.

The scene instantly changes with Utena lighting up the instant she hears Anthy’s voice, yet has to work to actually look at her.

Anthy: Good morning, Miss Tenjou,

((Ouch, reverting to last name basis. Just when I thought Utena in a dress was her lowest point.))

Utena looks at Anthy as long as she can before she’s out of vision before helling herself she “has to be normal.”

((So in order to become “normal”, Utena has to stay away from a girl she’s had romantic subtext with. I’m definitely getting some extra “compulsory heterosexuality” vibes from this episode.))

Wakaba heads to class with Utena, deducing some of the reason why Utena’s down in the dumps.

Meanwhile at the student council meeting, Anthy is internally suffering while Touga gloats over last week’s victory.

((I’m surprised he doesn’t have a cake and/or party hats.))

Touga: Any Questions?

((Shall I gloat more?))

Miki: None.

((F*ck you))

Juri: How did you win?

((I’m assuming you cheated.))

Touga: You’re saying you don’t think that I won by pure skill.

((Touga, what evidence would lead to that conclusion?))

Touga: I played the part of the noble prince and rescued the lonely princess. That’s all.

Juri: A prince, huh?

((It’s moments like this that make Juri happy to be a lesbian.))

Touga: The stories always end with the prince and princess together, right?

Juri: We haven’t reached the last scene yet.

Anthy: Excuse me. If [Chu-Chu and I] are in the way, we can wait outside.

((Anthy throughout this scene has had a neutral expression, however as Touga says, “The stories always end with the prince and princess together, right” Anthy looks mildly angry. A quote from later on in the show is “A girl who cannot become a princess is doomed to become a witch,” reflecting the show’s universe relying on fairy tale tropes. Anthy’s role in this fairy tale is “the witch,” and there aren’t any happy endings for the witch in fairy tale, instead ending with death or worse. It’s one of the show’s first subtle hints showing how Anthy really feels about the ugly side of being the Rose Bride.))

Touga: There’s no need for you to wait outside. I want you here. I want you here.

Anthy: Yes.

((No Touga-sama? Seems Anthy’s incredibly pissed.))

Touga gloats further about her being his bride, while Miki covers his ears presumably in hopes that he’ll block out this NOTP.

Back at lunch Utena is still depressed over her loss, and Wakaba is starting to become desperate for Utena to start acting like herself again even threatening to not speak to Utena again if she doesn’t tell her what’s going on. Touga decides now is the perfect time to show up. Given how Touga betrayed Utena, he’s the last guy she wants to be with and only notices Anthy standing behind him. Ignoring any semblance of basic decency, Touga sits down and starts hitting on Utena.

Touga: Say, would you like to eat out this Sunday?

((I’m a great cook; my specialty is roasted kielbasa.))

Touga: Without the bride, of course.

((Normally I’d enjoy threesomes, but I get the sense I’d be ignored if I try this time.))

Wakaba is at her limit seeing Utena sitting there motionless and dead eyed as Touga puts his hands on Utena, begging her to tell him to stop if she doesn’t like it. Wakaba enacts the girl code by throwing a glass of water at him… only for him to move at the last second covering Anthy with water.

((Girl code rule #1: If a guy is sleazy with your girl, use any means necessary to get him away from her.))

Wakaba:(genuinely sorry) I’m sorry… but it’s your fault.

((You are about to witness a batman gambit that the bat himself would be jealous of.))

Wakaba blames Anthy for just standing there, saying Utena’s messed up feelings are her fault for fighting with her.

Utena slaps Wakaba for daring to give Anthy a hard time, but Wakaba gives Utena a mischievous smile showing she planned that. Wakaba slaps Utena back saying at least she can still feel something.

((Using Utena’s feelings for Anthy as a means to sort through this crap and continue the plot of the show. A round of applause for Wakaba.))

Utena hands Anthy, who has waiting until Touga left to start leaving, a handkerchief to dry herself.

((Perfect, now she can remove 1/16th of the water.))

After Anthy leaves, Utena and Wakaba have a lively discussion, where despite Utena invoking Wakaba’s civilian status, she knows Utena’s in a lot of pain and she has no idea how to help her, causing her to run off.

Meanwhile Anthy’s having tea with Touga, who decides to leave after he gets a call from a girl to “come over.”

Touga: Wait for me here, won’t you?

Anthy: Yes.

((Anything’s better than waiting outside for the 2 minutes it takes you to finish.))

With Touga gone, Anthy imagines Utena sitting and enjoying tea with her. Anthy looks sad at this image, but gives a small smile while looking at the handkerchief Utena gave her the previous scene.

((This episode is important because this is the episode where Anthy starts seeing Utena as a friend as opposed to just another duelist. Even though Utena’s motives have been misguided, her intentions were still good, she treated Anthy as a person and talked to her as such, seeing Anthy as someone more valuable than the living doll Anthy has been conditioned by others and herself to think of her as. Even throughout this episode she only verbally uses Utena’s name, never Touga’s reflecting his own disregard for Anthy’s well being when compared to Utena’s. When Anthy says to Utena in the final episode, “you remind me of Dios when I loved him,” the roots of that statement are planted in this episode.))

Back with Wakaba and Utena, Utena tries to apologize only for Wakaba to tell her to stop and instead tell her what is happening. Wakaba pieces together that Touga is the reason she’s feeling so down, but admits that she doesn’t know the exact details such as, why is Utena wearing the girls’ uniform.

Utena: But this is normal isn’t it?

Wakaba: No, it isn’t! Not being normal is normal for you!

((In other words, Jesus Utena, just admit you like girls, it’s not even subtext at this point!))

Wakaba: It’s like something was stolen from you and made you a coward! I don’t know what it is, but if you can get it back then get it!

Finally, finally, **finally** this gets through to Utena who apologizes to Wakaba for hitting her earlier and gives her a forehead kiss before declaring that she’s going to kick Touga’s ass so hard he’ll cry over it for over 10 episodes.

((A moment of silence for Wakaba, without her the revolution wouldn’t have occurred, and Utena would have fizzled out entirely.))

Back in the rose garden Anthy’s watering the roses while Touga sucks face with background girl #4 about 5 feet away from her.

Touga: Did you want to talk with me alone? (*Utena shakes her head yes*) Then, shall we eat out on Sunday?

((Touga: Let's get seafood then, I’ve always loved the taste of clams))

Utena spells out that she wants to duel him, surprising both Touga and Anthy.

The shadow girl’s play is fairly straightforward about the girls choosing not to live a normal life before going off in a spaceship.

((I’ve heard some theories about how this implies the shadow girls are aliens…. honestly with all the allegorical stuff going around I wouldn’t be surprised.))

Utena heads to the dueling forest with Juri giving Utena her sword as a gift.

Juri: Use this. You’ll need it to properly set the last scene.

((In other words, I may not believe in miracles and magic, but I do believe in kicking men’s asses. I’ve got you girl.))

Utena heads to the dueling arena prepared and fueled by spite when Touga asks why she chooses to fight.

Utena: To take back something important to me.

Touga: You want to take back your “self.”

((Touga’s hit the nail right on the head. In order for Utena to genuinely get close with Anthy she had to admit to herself that her motivations weren’t entirely selfless, she’s fighting for her pride, fighting to regain her self worth, and the narrative is praising her for that because she was honest with herself about it.))

Anthy brings forth the Dios sword, and Touga says to Utena that the sword has multiple ways to bring forth power. Touga calls forth Anthy to kiss his sword, to amp up the power, while Utena looks away in horror.

((I don’t think I have to explain what this is a metaphor for. Although something tells me that in the next student council meeting Touga’s going to use this as an opportunity to brag about how “easy” it was to make Anthy do that.))

Once Anthy got Touga’s sword and weapon hot and bothered the duel begins.

Anthy: (internally) She can’t defeat Master Touga. I pity her. I wonder if it will end quickly.

((Over the years of oppression Anthy has developed a cynical and pragmatic attitude. While she does care for Utena, she doesn’t count on her to win since, pragmatically speaking Touga has more power.))

Touga’s sword proves to be as powerful as bragged about, easily cutting Juri’s sword in half.

((Juri: He’s paying for that!!))

Instead of aiming for the rose, Touga starts ripping Utena’s clothes while taunting her about not knowing about it.

((Given the show’s tendency to use metaphors for sex, ripping clothes comes across as more disturbing and perverted than it would be on any other show.))

Utena tells Touga that she’s going to continue to keep fighting “for herself.”

Anthy: There’s something strange about Miss Tenjou. She could die. Why does she fight on?... It’s over Miss Tenjou. But I’ve seen this before. I know what this is.

Anthy remembers Utena’s determination as how Dios once was, and the shock of Utena stopping Touga’s sword and gaining the upper hand brings tears to her eyes.

((Anthy’s reaction is because Utena does something that even Prince Dios hadn’t done. When confronted with a hopeless situation she somehow was able to beat the odds and win. When Dios abandoned all hope to become “end of the world” Anthy’s illusions were shattered and was forced to become the Rose Bride. Utena’s victory is the image of how Anthy thinks a prince should be, and for the first time Anthy’s future looks bright.))

Utena slashes through Touga’s rose, ending victoriously.

((The duel song is about Touga using the sword to prop himself up, nut end the end they were just hollow words, and when it gets to the end “There’s a possibility to be anyone” it changes to reflect the tune of the victors: Utena and Anthy. It was only when Utena proved how courageous she was that Anthy stopped giving power to the sword, foreshadowing how the show isn’t just Utena’s revolution, but also Anthy’s as formed by the bond these two share.))

Later Utena meets with Anthy outside the dueling arena, with Anthy starting to give the usual formalities, but all Utena wants is to go home with her. Utena and Anthy give each other large genuine smiles before going off together, showing that while they still have a ways to go in their relationship, they’ve taken the first step to building it.

((Anthy’s smile looks painful, almost as though she’s not use to smiling, and given how Anthy’s trademark victory smiles tend to be small and strained it’s likely that those smiles aren’t ones of true joy.))


	13. Enter Akio or: How to make clip show without sacrificing plot part 1

It’s time for a recap of a recap episode: enjoy the filler.

The episode begins with Utena rehasing the story of how she met her price because, let’s face it, it’s already a clip show why not just say screw it.

The shadow girls give an early performance talking about what happened the previous episode saying that the girls walked away together looking like a lily (yuri).

((Hehehe ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) / ))

Shadow girls: But Brave hero! You may be called back to the path of battle once more.

((So the entire episode is basically a foreshadowing of future plot points.))

Back at the Kiryuu place Touga is moping around in his room listening to a tape recorder of him giving the egg speech.

((Wahhhhh I lost to a giiirrrlll!!! *Sobs for 12 episodes*))

At the dueling arena a mysterious dark skinned man who we’ve never seen before looks up at the castle and smirks. He presumably goes into the castle and has a “talk” with prince Dios. This man ladies, gents, and others is Akio.

((Akio Ohtori… How do I even begin to explain Akio Ohtori?

Wakaba: Akio Ohtori is flawless.

Mikage: He has two castles and a red convertible.

Saionji: I hear his hair is insured for 1 million yen.

Touga: I hear he does car commercials in America.

Anthy: His favorite movie is Lolita.

Nanami: One time he met Jurota Kosugi on a plane, and he told him he was pretty.

Kanae: One time he punched me in the face. It was awesome!))

Akio: (to Dios) You still haven’t awakened? Is the egg’s shell still unbroken?

((I’ve heard others say that Akio speaking to Dios throughout this episode is a metaphor for his internal thoughts about the plan, however there is one figure we don’t see until the end of the episode, Anthy. Yes Anthy is a presence throughout this episode and I’ve always interpreted that as Akio not only speaking to Dios or himself, but also Akio speaking to Anthy throughout the episode and she manifests through the episode as an image of Dios because he sees Anthy as the means to regain his power as Dios, or an extension of himself.))

Akio says that it’s Utena’s 7th trial so far, implying that Touga’s manipulations were planned by Akio as a means to further test Utena.

Akio: Did seeing her defend the Rose Bride, even while wounded make you remember something familiar? Even the heart of the Rose Bride was moved a bit, wasn’t it? I suppose seeing that has let you begin to have hope for her. No that’s not right, that was in the first duel “friendship”.

((Utena’s actions in the first episode reminded Anthy of how Dios used to be, considering how Akio’s primary method of keeping Anthy close to him is to imply that once he gets his power back, the two of them will be like they used to, this is a foreshadowing of the rift that will grow between Akio and Anthy.))

The show flashes back to when Utena won the first duel starting the clip portion of the show.  
((The term friendship meaning Utena’s decision to fight for her friend Wakaba.))

Back to Akio, who reveals that it was planned all along for Utena to be engaged to Anthy, before discussing the second battle “choice” cementing Utena’s decision to fight to keep being engaged to Anthy.

Akio: Ever since that day, the seal on your power, the seal on the power of Dios, began to break.

((I’m sure you did your happy dance Akio, can we get back to the clips?))

Akio: [Utena] was definitely of great interest.

((*gagging noises* Nope. Uh Uh. No way. I’m going to need 10 pounds of brain bleach to prepare for **that** subplot.))

Akio recaps the next battles, manipulated into being personal ones. “Reason,” Miki’s duel, named for his claim that having Anthy was a logical decision, but really was about clinging to the memory of his sister. “Love,” Juri’s duel, named for her love for Shiori and rejection causing her to no longer believe in miracles. “Adoration,” Nanami’s duel, referring to her series long adoration of Touga. “Conviction” and “Self” refer to Utena’s battles with Touga about her real motivations of fighting.

After recapping, Akio says that she’s still “just a duelist,” unintentionally revealing that throughout the series he’s viewed the duelists as pawns, whereas up until now we were led to believe the duelists were key figures in “bringing the world revolution.”

Akio: The day [Dios] will be completely released may be near. Don’t glare at me like that. When we finally reach the day we’ve waited and hoped for we will both profit equally from it.

((This refers to Akio’s belief that he’ll regain the power from his glory days in order to justify his current actions. The glare Akio’s talking about represents how even Akio knows that it isn’t true and he’s too far gone to redeem himself, namely because he refuses to take responsibility for his actions, it also represents Akio’s relationship with Anthy and how he continually makes promises through the series that once he regains power, Anthy’s suffering will be diminished, and even though Anthy doesn’t truly believe it, she sticks around in the hopes it may be true.))

Akio drops a pink rose among some black roses, transitioning into the black rose arc, and he leaves with Anthy, who clings onto him affectionately, to talk, only talk I hope, with her.

((It seems as though Anthy and Akio’s recent victories through the student council arc led them into the honeymoon phase. The “honeymoon” phase: in an abusive relationship it’s characterized as the abuser either acting sorry, being friendly and giving gifts, making promises, seeking pity, or a combination of all those tactics. This does not mean that abuse has stopped entirely as abusers may guilt trip their victims into believing earlier acts of physical, emotional, or sexual violence were somehow justifiable actions because of something the victim said or did. This phase happens throughout the black rose arc with a slight undercurrent of the tension building phase, before tension takes over as the main stage through the “Akio Ohtori” arc.))

Anthy comes back to her and Utena’s room looking and sounding happier than she did for most of the series. Utena asks where Anthy’s been, and her response is to just smile at her.

((This isn’t one of Anthy’s tight-lipped smiles or the big, happy smile she showed in the last episode.))

Anthy: (looking at her brother’s house) Miss Utena, the clouds are moving so quickly.

The final shot of the episode is of a black ring foreshadowing the trials Utena will face in the near future.  
 


	14. Give these kids therapy- Not like that!

((Time for the episode where we first see Akio and Anthy’s brother sister bonding time. Be afraid, be very afraid.))

At the beginning of the episode we meet our arc villains Mamiya and Mikage, who look like cis-swapped versions of Anthy and Utena.

((And for a good reason, since Mamiya is Anthy! This arc became a lot more entertaining for me the second time around because of the show’s use of Mamiya to show Anthy’s inner, more twisted, thoughts. Later on the show would use Mikage as what Utena would be like if she were a villain.))

The two gather over a black rose and discuss their evil plan.

Mamiya: I’ve heard that Touga Kiryuu, the student council president has been absent all this time. That’s why the campus has been so quiet lately.

((Aside from the crying and screams of agony over losing to a girl that is.))

Mikage: A proper school should be a place of peaceful study.

((He says before starting sh*t.))

Anthy comes back to the dorm after sleeping over at her brother’s ((eww)), while Utena muses that she never sees Anthy on Saturday nights.

((So the show establishes that whatever happens at Akio’s place it happens frequently enough that, to the casual observer, it’s often dismissed as routine.))

Utena: Hey, Chu-Chu, do you know anything about that?

Chu-Chu: *falls over in shock*

((Same Chu-Chu, same.))

Utena: (to Anthy) Welcome back, where were you?

Anthy: At school.

((Anthy Himemiya: master of deflecting questions))

Utena: By the way you seem to disappear at night on the weekends. Is something up?

Anthy: Yes. There’s someone I have to visit once a week… my brother.

Utena: (shocked) you have a brother!?

((To be fair to Utena, it has been shown that she’s asked before and Anthy just wouldn’t answer. It must be time for Utena and Akio to meet. yay.))

The two girls head to the top of Ohtori tower where they see Akio’s constellation machine, Utena half joking/ half serious asking if that’s her older brother.

((Given Anthy’s deflections, I bet Utena was half expecting her to say yes.))

Utena walks in on Akio kissing a girl, and tells Anthy the two half to leave before they interrupt “things.” Of course when the elevator button dings their presence is revealed.

((Subtlety: Utena’s middle name.))

An introductory conversation occurs between Akio, Kanae, Anthy, and Utena.

((Internal thoughts throughout this scene:

Utena: Oh dear God I almost walked in on them having sex!

Akio: pink hair, small ass gives me whiplash.

Kanae: It’s so nice to have a talk with my future sister and her friend, maybe Anthy’ll warm up to me in the future.

Anthy: GET. THE. HELL. AWAY. FROM. MY. BROTHER. YOU. BITCH.))

Akio says that he’s just the acting chairman, and the real chairman is Kanae’s father, as to who Kanae is well…

Kanae: [Akio and I] plan to be married as soon as I graduate from high school.

((…Yeah this should be our first clue that Akio, in addition to being super evil, is super creepy.))

((Apparently the reason Akio has a different last name than Anthy isn’t because of some majestic symbolic reason. If a girl’s family is super rich and/or important the guy will just take her last name. Go figure))

Utena asks about the constellation machine and Akio says it’s there because he has a fondness for star gazing, so much so that Kanae jokes that he’s only marrying her to stay close to the machine.

((That and for the power Akio will get if he’s the permanent chairman.))

Kanae: He slept here again last night, too.

Cut to Anthy, who is in passive aggressive over drive smiling so tight her face looks like it’s about to snap.

((I love the small foreshadowing details in this show.))

Akio keeps going on about the stars, even saying he’ll name one after Kanae one day.

((One thing I find fascinating about this conversation is that stars that we often see in the sky are ones that have already died far off in space. Considering Akio’s tendency to put forth illusions of things that have long been gone…)))

Akio: the students here are all free, all have a love of learning, and most of all they never fight.

((I just found out where Anthy got the trolling gene from.))

Kanae: Nothing bad ever happens at Ohtori Academy.

((…..Oh you sweet summer child. Get her out of this series fast.))

Kanae tries to get closer to Anthy, asking if she can call her “sister” now, since it won’t be long till they’re related.

Anthy: (internally bitch slapping Kanae) Sure.

Meanwhile at Mikage’s office it’s established that he’s in charge of his own seminar, acting as a therapist, and the reason no one’s looking into what he’s doing is because some high level guys are involved with him. Mikage has a small meeting with Miki.

((One little detail I didn’t notice the first couple of times around is how Mikage doesn’t have a computer at or near his desk, despite it being 1997, foreshadowing his stuck in the past backstory.))

Miki says he’s not worth to join the seminar, something Mikage isn’t happy to hear.

((Miki, you accidentally dodged one hell of a bullet.))

Outside, Anthy and Utena are walking home when Anthy asks Utena not to tell Akio about her being the rose bride saying she doesn’t want to cause him any concern.

((Considering we saw in the previous episode that Akio has talked to “Dios,” he’s been to the dueling arena and the castle, and he’s met up with Anthy at those places I think it’s safe to assume he already knows. Of course Utena not confronting Akio about any of this will likely save him coming up with excuses for unpleasant questions.))

Utena: We shouldn’t tell your brother about our secrets. Kanae seems like a nice girl, and I’d hate for her to get mixed up in this.

((Anthy: (internally) Interesting how you say that.))

Miki, who apparently already knows Anthy has an older brother, has left the building where he and Mikage had their conversation and meets the girls outside.

Apparently the building Nemuro Memorial Hall has a history where a long time ago 100 boys were buried alive inside the building.

Mamiya and Mikage discuss making Mamiya the new rose bride so Mikage can get the power of Dios.

Mikage: Even end of the world recognizes our potential.

((Yeah, your potential to give him a few weeks off.))

They devise a plan to duel Utena and kill Anthy by using strong duelists to fight in their place.

((“Mamiya:” And I know a certain blonde that would make a great pawn.))

Under the guise of an interview Kanae meets with Mikage in his elevator of horror. On the wall there is a picture of a butterfly that, as Kanae “goes deeper” turns into a caterpillar then finally a leaf.

Not only does Kanae have a terrible father, since he chose Akio to be her husband, she’s secretly terrified of Anthy and her passive aggressive ways citing an incident where she offered Anthy one of her favorite scarves, only for her to use it to clean her glasses, and more maliciously, suspecting Anthy is making her father ill, due to Anthy’s frequent visits, and doesn’t understand why Anthy hates her so much.

Mikage: I understand. Your only choice is to revolutionize the world.

((I don’t get how that would actually solve anything, but, whatever, the is the plot the episode chooses to give us.))

Mikage, in a brilliant stroke of genius, leads Kanae to his room of corpses, grabs a black rose ring off one of them, and offers it to her.

((Gee, Kanae, I wonder if he’s evil?))

Kanae’s common sense activates and tries getting away only for Mamiya to sneak behind her and stabs her with a black rose, smiling the whole time.

((Seems Kanae was right about Anthy hating her.))

In the next scene…

Wakaba: Doesn’t anything interesting ever happen around here?

((You’ll find out in a few episodes sweetie.))

Utena receives a note saying to meet in the dueling arena.

The shadow girls start putting on a play where a girl laments that growing up means she gets wisdom teeth, and Utena responds to them she should just “get rid of it.”

((In this arc the shadow girls take a unique approach by showing their play directly to Utena, foreshadowing the growing surreal nature the show is known for and shows Utena’s tendency to oversimplify things.))

Utena heads to the dueling arena, now with slightly more epic background music, and is surprised when she sees desks with white flowers on top and drawings of bodies on the ground, **And** Kanae’s the one who challenged her to a duel.

((The duelists in this arc typically have items on the desks representing what they’re problem worth fighting is, however this week the flowers represent funerals for the boys that died in Nemuro Memorial Hall.))

Kanae states her intention to kill the rose bride, to Utena’s confusion.

Anthy: (all but innocent whistling) Kanae isn’t the same as we remember her.

((It’s almost like someone stabbed her with a black rose.))

Kanae: This is the real me. The other me I buried within myself.

((And she’s about as threatening as an angry kitten.))

Kanae says she’ll return to her “phony” self once the rose is knocked off her, so that becomes Utena’s task.

The two start dueling and Kanae’s duel is so short the music sounds like it’s rushing to catch up to the animation.

Utena wins, Kanae’s in pain due to the rose ring disintegrating, and Anthy doesn’t care about any of this.

((The duel song with lyrics like “Though it’s false, keep my treasure close…this is the battle form” symbolize how Kanae enjoyed wearing the black rose because it stripped her of all inhibitions and let her fight to stay by Akio’s side without any disapproving relatives, of course the false comes in where Akio is just using her as a pawn and he considers her about as important to him as an object that can easily be disposed.))

The corpse that originally had the black rose is cremated by Mikage, who now knows Utena is the duelist he’s up against.

A few days pass and Anthy says goodbye so she can go visit her brother.  
Utena: Oh, Himemiya? Is Kanae ok after what happened?

Anthy: Yes, she’s just fine now.

((Subtext: unfortunately.))

Apparently Kanae doesn’t remember anything about the duel, to Utena’s relief.

Utena: I’m really sorry for hurting someone who’s going to be your sister.

Anthy: You shouldn’t trouble yourself over that. It wasn’t your fault Miss Utena.

((In fact, I think Anthy respects you all the more for it.))

After Anthy leaves, Utena realizes that Chu-Chu has never gone with Anthy on her weekly visits and when she questions if he’ll go with her, he looks at her with a mixture of fear and disgust.

What follows next is… uh… well… the… ehh… non-con/ underage tags are there for a reason.

The scene is framed as creepy (( **AS IT SHOULD BE** )), where Akio, looking threatening with his wolf-like expression and half opened shirt, tells Anthy to come to him, and after removing her glasses does so with a blank chilling smile that one can tell she obviously doesn’t want to do what Akio has in mind. We don’t see what happens, since the screen cuts to black and the chilling piano music plays until the end.

((As to where the inspiration for the brother/ sister incest portion of Revolutionary Utena comes from, I’ve realized that rather than Ikuhara’s twisted mind, it’s instead from the manga’s idea of rather than Akio being a grown up prince Dios, Akio and Dios are two halves of the same person, Dios representing the good half and Akio the bad. The kicker is the manga writer Chiho Saito had the brilliant idea to have Akio be Anthy’s brother and Dios being Anthy’s lover. And NO the **creepy implications** of that were never once addressed.))

The episode ends with Utena asleep, oblivious to the nightmare- inducing scene less than 10 minutes away.


	15. Brotherly love

Today’s episode is about Kozue Kaoru and her relationship with Miki. It begins with Miki walking to his music lesson when he sees her flirt with a guy; having an innuendo-laden conversation about a girl she knows “seeing” a guy.

((How and why are these barely pubescent students having this much sex?))

Miki takes a moment to “mourn his loss of innocence” at this scandalous scene while I roll my eyes and start gagging. Kozue turns her head and sees Miki meeting with his music teacher, said teacher seems to look and touch him in a not so innocent way.

((*sarcasm* Gee I wonder why Akio hired a teacher who is obviously a pedophile?))

Kozue has a much more understandable reaction to this, pushing away the guy she was talking to in order to get a closer look of things.

((Kozue: Step aside prop, I have to protect my brother from a molester.))

Back at the Kiryuu house, Touga’s sitting alone in his dark room of angst, listening to instrumentals presumably of opera diva’s laments. Nanami goes in to check on him, increasingly worried since the last time we saw her do that.

((Touga: Go away Nanami! I’m brooding!))

Nanami vows to take over the student council, making no sense because presidents are voted on rather than passed to family members, but I digress.

Back at Nemuro Memorial Hall Anthy- I mean- Mamiya’s black rose comes up with the solution of picking duelists by taking people close to the student council members to the elevator of evil, and convince them to take the swords of their heart and use the swords to defeat Utena.

((“Mamiya:” I do this because of the student council’s strong will and determination… it has absolutely nothing to do with them slapping me around and treating me like property for God knows how long, it was purely a logical choice as dictated by the black rose! *totally not suspicious laughter*))

Mikage, despite pointing out the actual duelists already lost, decides to go for this ludicrous idea.

Meanwhile Kozue is sitting angstily by the pool when some girls show up to talk to her about her new boyfriend. Kozue says all she did was add another boyfriend; so one girl decides to try that method by asking Kozue to set her up with her brother.

Kozue: Ok, but there’s a girl he’s been attracted to lately.

((So Kozue, despite her generally laissez faire attitude involving her brother, pays attention somewhat to how he is with other people and knows what’s going on in his life, at least more so than Utena who needs everything spelled out for her.))

Miki goes over to Anthy and Utena’s dorm **STILL** trying to get her to play the piano for him.

((Does anyone learn anything on this show!?))

Utena sees him and invites him inside to visit Anthy, presumably having forgiven him for challenging her to a duel 10 episodes ago.

Miki stammers out a polite greeting to Anthy, Chu-Chu swats away a fly that in no way is symbolic to how Anthy is feeling, and Anthy has decided which duel member is first on her hit list.

Miki: Choo-Choo is really cute.

((Flattery will get you nowhere at this point Miki.))

The group gets into the semantic of Chu-Chu’s name despite sounding exactly the same.

Miki: We have the same tastes!

*Awkward silence*

Miki: Will you play the piano with me after school tomorrow? I’d like to introduce you to my music teacher! I think he’ll be amazed when he hears your playing, so please!

((What’s important about this quote is not what Miki is saying, but how Utena and Anthy react to it. Utena, remembered how Miki was the last time Anthy played the piano for him looks to Anthy to see if she’s ok with that, and judging by Anthy’s reaction she clearly isn’t. Why Anthy looks uncomfortable could be interpreted any number of ways with these two being the most likely, one is Anthy is feeling remorseful over using his issues with his sister against him and suggesting to Mikage that the student council members would be targeted. Another interpretation is she’s tired of being Miki’s idealized fantasy woman and doesn’t want to be thrust into a situation where she has to play that part.))

While this is going on Juri confronts Kozue, who pushed the molester teacher down the stairs while threatening to do worse. Kozue did this because she’d never allow anyone to hurt Miki.

((Well that seems like an extreme reaction. After all I’m sure that some consequences would occur if she told the chairman abo- on second though Kozue made the right decision. Akio probably hired him **because** of his penchant for molestation.))

Despite being super protective of Miki, it’s still made clear that those two are farther apart than the Grand Canyon, with Kozue not even wanting to drink milkshakes with him.

Miki works out his angst playing the piano with Anthy, Utena watching them presumably so Miki won’t make a pass at Anthy. Utena sees Kozue in the hall and starts talking with her. Kozue asks about Anthy, and with a pluck of the black rose Kozue is this episode’s target.

((If there’s one way the black rose arc is filler done right, like the Nanami episodes, it provides fleshed out characterization so that when the characters later on become more relevant to the story it doesn’t feel so out of the blue. Pardon the slight pun.))

Nanami calls a student council meeting, reciting Touga’s egg speech along the way with some mild changes.

((I’m assuming Touga wrote some notecards for her, and Nanami just tossed them aside.))

Nanami decrees she’s filling in for Touga, to no one’s objection since they haven’t gotten any letters from end of the world.

((The fans seem to indicate hot air, because honestly in this arc the student council doesn’t do anything except get attacked.))

At Akio’s place…

Akio: There’s a boy who’s attracted to Anthy?

((Akio: Dammit that’s my job!))

Akio: If [Anthy] is enjoying her life here as a student, then I’m relieved.

((Akio: because that means I get an unlimited supply of her power.))

Akio: Especially if she’s making friends with girls like you.

((…Y’all I’m not looking forward to this subplot.))

((We see a photograph of Anthy and Akio together with Akio having one hand on her shoulder and smirking at the camera. It’s less a family portrait and instead looks like a guy showing off his possession.))

Utena: What sort of relationship does a big brother have to his sister?

((No, Danger Utena Tenjou Danger, you do not want advise on siblings from this guy.))

Akio: (pulls out a photo of the moon) You don’t normally think of it and it doesn’t really serve any purpose…

((But… the moon controls the tides,… which is essentially 70% of our ecosystem? Also saying you think your sister is useless should be our second clue that this guy is a major dick.))

Akio: But still… from time to time, you look up at it…and it makes you feel better.

((And I’d rather not think about what he means by “looking up at” and “feel better.”))

Back to Miki, who is waiting for Anthy falling asleep in the process. Kozue shows up and starts remembering their time together in the sunlit garden. Just as she’s about to give Miki a kiss on the forehead, Anthy shows up, presumably waiting until this very second. Miki wakes up and him and Anthy start their lesson, both ignoring Kozue.

((So Anthy A. interrups a sweet moment between Kozue and her brother and B. reinforces how those two can never be as close as they once were.))

Cue the Elevator of Evil!

Turns out Kozue has been acting out to get Miki’s attention, since the only time she gets any is when she acts hurt or distressed deciding negative attention is better than no attention at all. Except this plan backfired with him drifting closer to Anthy, causing her to become jealous since Miki considers her an ideal Kozue.

Mikage: Your only choice is to revolutionize the world.

((Wow… world revolution solves everything these days.))

With all of Kozue’s inhibitions stripped she can play the sunlight garden perfectly, attracting Miki’s attention long enough for her to take Miki’s sword out of his chest.

((Yeah… given the attempt to kiss him and take out his “sword” it’s hard not to see assault metaphors, especially in light of how the other brother sister relationships on this show have either mistaken incestuous subtext, and incestuous **text**.))

Meanwhile while Wakaba and Utena look at their exam schedule, Utena sees a letter for her to go to the dueling arena. This causes the shadow girls to put on a play about someone trying to ignore her true desires and failing miserably, reflecting Kozue’s desire to be close to her brother.

Utena heads to the dueling arena where she sees Kozue surrounded by tables filled with milkshakes.

((My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard….))

((Seriously though, the use of milkshakes, or sweet things, being used to represent Kozue’s desire to be close to her brother the way they were when young is pretty brilliant since desserts are something that’s associated with kids and the desire for then should be grown out, especially for girls, since for Kozue, having that close attachment is that, kid stuff.))

Kozue begins the usual “I’m the evil Black Rose“ spiel and the duel begins.

((Fittingly the duel song is about taking a time machine to return to childhood.))

Utena tries talking Kozue out of fighting, because it worked so well the last duel, but Kozue, unsurprisingly, is unwilling to listen saying her and Miki are the only ones who should exist.

((Anthy is shown drinking one of the milkshakes, either to symbolize how she’s now part of Miki’s childhood idealization, as opposed to Kozue, or Anthy just doesn’t want to waste all these milkshakes.))

Anthy calls Utena to come to her, and initiates giving extra power to Utena to win the battle.

((Touga: demands Anthy give him power. Utena: has Anthy take the lead so they can win together. Trust building anyone?))

Utena wins the duel, Miki wakes up asking about Kozue, Kozue is free from the Black Rose, and Mikage waits for next week’s duelist.

((Filler: a period of anime brought about by dumb villains who never learn from their mistakes.))

Kozue tells Miki she doesn’t remember anything about the Black Rose, thinking she fainted from anemia. Miki gives her a goodnight kiss, and Kozue asks for a milkshake.

((While their relationship is far from healed, it’s still nice to see Kozue take the initiative to openly bond with her brother.))

Utena is alone in the dorm, reflecting on the terrible advice Akio gave her, while we see how Akio really feels about Anthy.

Akio: Tonight, as always, I will comfort you.

((When I first watched this series I was more disturbed by this scene than the same scene the previous episode, and I didn’t understand why. One day I realized it was because, the episodes were, of course, originally played one week apart, the same amount of time between when Anthy “visited” Akio. I added emphasis to “as always” because while the previous episode established the disturbing relationship between Akio and Anthy, in this episode we realize how normal it seems for the two of them, as routine as waiting for an episode of your favorite T.V show.))

Anthy: Choo… Choo

((It almost sounds childlike and innocent…))  
 


	16. Nanami Turns Into a Cow

((In the production studio for Revolutionary Girl Utena:

Writer: Ok, Mr. Ikuhara, we have established our semi-filler arc, started exploring a creepy incestuous relationship, and haven’t given any clues about reasons for our villains’, both arc specific and overall, actions. What should we do for this episode?

Ikuhara: (removes sunglasses) I want Nanami to turn into a cow.

Writer: But… sir we have so many plotlines!

Ikuhara: I. Want. Nanami. To. Turn. Into. A. Cow!

Writer 2: (whispering) We have 39 episodes, just indulge the man.

Writer 1: (tired) Yes sir.))

The episode begins with Utena’s prince story because…. why the hell not and Anthy watching a fashion event by Sebastian Dior. 

((Gee I wonder what designer they’re parodying.))

Anthy says to Utena she’ll go to sleep after it’s over, and she sees something in the event that looks “cute.”

((Anthy: I know a certain blonde this would look good on.))

The next evening Nanami is hosting a party so she can show off her new outfit, which is supposed to be fashionable despite looking like something a 90 year old would wear to imitate the “hip young chicks.” Nanami thinks about how this monstrosity will be complete with her newest fashionable accessory, a pendent so large I would be terrified to keep it anywhere other than a locked bank vault. Nanami’s mood is ruined when she sees Juri in a different, and more sensible outfit, and a necklace that while clearly expensive is still realistically wearable and one of a kind.

((Two things: 1. This seems to contrast the difference between runway “fashion” and outfits people would actually wear, and 2. Juri doesn’t usually pay attention to this kind of matter so I can only assume her talking about how awesome the necklace is for the sole purpose of upstaging Nanami.))

Nanami’s so upset at being upstaged she smashes the pendent she planned on showing off, causing me to scream and cry for 30 minutes because that pendent is worth more than my cumulative tuition. Juri and Miki go over to ask what the party is for, when Nanami gets a gift from someone, a gift that has the Dior logo on it.

((I wonder who could have sent this.))

Miki and Juri are fascinated by this gift so Nanami, despite just now hearing about the guy, happily takes the gift for herself. Nanami makes a big deal in front of everyone about how amazing this unknown gift is, and reveals it, and to everyone’s confusion it’s a cowbell.

((Side note: Throughout this episode everyone refers to a cowbell by its name in English instead of Japanese, that’s why Utena had to spell it out for her a thousand different times. It’s like someone making a joke about a character not understanding what “Bon Voyage” means and built an entire episode around it.))

Everyone feels so much second hand embarrassment at seeing Nanami flaunt that cowbell, that no one wants to correct or make fun of her for it. 

Nanami: (thinking) They look positively speechless. The best things in life suit me so well.

((Somewhere Anthy Himemiya is laughing maniacally.))

The camera cuts outside the party before the guests start playing rock paper scissors to determine who tells Nanami about this faux pas, and no one wins because Nanami wears it to school the next day. 

((……Honestly I don’t know why I’m commenting on this episode, from here on out there’s nothing I can really say that will make this episode more ridiculous than it already is… doesn’t mean I won’t try though.))

Miki and Utena wonder what possessed Nanami to think wearing that was a great idea while Anthy knits a red sweater because of reasons. 

Utena: But… a cowbell is for [shows a picture of cows]

Miki: I agree.

((I mean… you’re not wrong.))

The two debate whether to tell Nanami, doubting she’ll even listen, when they get cut off watching a teacher preparing to throw down some dress code rules. 

Teacher: Nanami! What is that thing you’re wearing around your neck?

Nanami: It’s a cowbell!

The teacher is so confused she lets Nanami walk by her.

((Nanami just created one of the most unintentionally badass moments in the series.))

The two decide to let Nanami figure it out, and the school looks on at Nanami with a mixture of bafflement and respect. 

Mitsuru, well-intended sinnamon roll he is, subtly tries to get Nanami to take the bell off, only for Nanami to passive aggressively snap at him.

Nanami: You’re just to young to appreciate an adult’s fashion sense.

((A phrase no doubt uttered by millions of people during the 1980’s.))

Utena tries putting this gag out of its misery, only to have the two toss barbs about their fashion sense.

((*headdesk*))

One girl makes a comment to the other about “fat legs” and before I can punch my computer screen the scene changes to a dream Nanami has about turning into a cow and her brother Touga feeding her hay before sending her off to the slaughter. 

((Ikuhara! At what point did you look at a comedy episode about a teenage girl magically turning into a cow and think to yourself, “You know what this episode needs, a dark Segway into Nanami’s psyche about her fear of her only close relative abandoning her the fist chance he gets!”?))

After this dream Nanami starts acting more like a cow, fitting considering her previous dream and stubborn nature. She even starts wearing a hairclip resembling cow horns. 

Back at Utena and Anthy’s dorm Anthy is knitting a red sweater that in no way has anything to do with the episode, when Mitsuru tells the girls Nanami’s gone missing.

((Anthy: Champagne for everyone!))

The group heads to the park, where Nanami’s there to eat grass. The event is so shocking it triggers the shadow girls’ play.

The play is about a mouse selling out a group of mice in order to save himself, only for the cat to eat him anyway.

((The reap what you sew moral is obvious, but the trick the mouse describes involves a bell, and considering who Nanami’s messed with the entire series….)))

The next day the group catches Nanami in a field of cows, and Utena, tired of how long this has been going on, spells it out to Nanami what she’s wearing around her neck.

It’s at this point that Anthy conveniently finishes the red sweater she’s been knitting the entire episode, and as soon as Nanami sees red, so to speak, she literally turns into a cow.   
((What?!))

Utena starts bullfighting with Nanami in an attempt to remove the cowbell and turn Nanami back to normal.

((What!!!?????)))

 

Utena defeats Nanami in the style of the series’ usual duel, with Mitsuru tossing a pitchfork for Utena to remove the cowbell.

((I have no idea what just happened…. I’m not even going to try analyzing the duel song.))

Juri makes a comment about being obsessed with brand names while wearing enough jewelry to sink a ship, and Miki questions how Nanami got the bell in the first place. 

Turns out the cowbell was for Anthy’s pet cow, named Nanami. The episode ends with Anthy saying she also bought a nose ring for her cow, which Nanami starts wearing around the school.

((Ignoring the obvious beauty that is Anthy naming a cow after our residential mean girl, this would mean that Anthy, being a member of the student council and knowing about Nanami’s party “accidentally” sent the cowbell on the precise day Nanami would reveal hew expensive jewelry, and knowing Nanami’s obsession with brands knew she would keep it. Then after seeing Nanami walk around school wearing it, chose to say nothing and knitted a red sweater that was conveniently finished at the time where Nanami’s transition was almost complete. Then when that plan worked out, did the exact same thing with the nose ring. Bow down to Anthy Himemiya, the queen of trolls, master of passive aggressiveness, one can only hope to be so petty.))


	17. Guess Who’s Back…

The preview to this episode:

Utena: Arisugawa-sempai’s childhood friend just transferred in.   
Anthy: Takatsuki Shiori-san, right?   
Utena: But are those two on good terms or bad terms?   
Utena: I don’t know what happened, but Arisugawa-sempai shouldn’t hold a grudge from so long ago.   
Anthy: You’re really naive, Utena-sama.   
Utena: Huh? But Shiori-san just wants to be friends with Sempai, right? 

 

((Not pictured: Anthy face palming at Utena’s attempts to gal pal this relationship.))

Juri starts the episode staring at Shiori’s picture in her locket so we’re in for an episode of heartbreak and lesbianism.

((Granted this can apply to the whole show, but it taken up to 11 with these two.))

Anthy’s watching, which means Juri will be this week’s target.

In fencing class Juri’s acing more so than usual, to Utena’s amazement. A fencing sword gets thrown to where Utena and Anthy are, and Anthy’s verbal confirmation of bringing it back down captures Juri’s attention to where the girls are, only at this moment Shiori is standing close to them.

((Dun Dun Dun))

Shiori looks at Juri and gives a smile, and looks visibly upset when Juri turns away from her.

((Ikuhara has gone on the record that Shiori has romantic feelings for Juri, although given that this is the same guy who says he saw a UFO that telepathically prophesized that he would create an anime about girls revolutionizing various things, I’ve learned to take his commentary with a grain of salt, but, hey, that’s what analyzing is for.))

Shiori and Utena acknowledge each other starting the episode’s conflict. Shiori says that her and Juri were friends up until middle school; the two of them were really close to the point where Shiori thought of her as her only friend and was the only one she could ever depend on. 

Shiori: Juri was always so wonderful. So strong, so imposing… But now I don’t deserve any of that.

((Throughout the series Juri and Miki seem to be the closest out of the duelists which makes sense considering both Shiori and Miki have issues surrounding idealizing people in their lives, however Shiori later shows the more bitter and even violent side of that character trait.))

Back with the villains, Mamiya pricks his finger on the rose and not only does Mikage kiss Mamiya’s wound, he also playfully accuses Mamiya of doing it on purpose.

((Welcome to Revolutionary Girl Utena, a show where everyone’s dysfunctional and heterosexuality doesn’t matter.))

They talk about how Juri’s rose has a parasitic enemy, Shiori, and plan to use her darker side to their advantage.

Meanwhile, the student council discusses what happened a couple weeks ago with Miki’s sister, and also…

Nanami: Hey you always do this with the watch. What’s it mean anyway?

Miki: Is this hearing over?

((Nanami turned into a cow the previous episode, I’d be a little pissed too if she implied I was weird.))

Nanami asks what “it” was like and if it hurt. Miki’s face turns red and quickly changes the subject.

((Wow… there are some sexual assault metaphors tied into this that are quickly becoming more and more uncomfortable.))

Juri excuses herself from this meeting reminiscing about the time Shiori stabbed her in the back. Shiori shows up saying she wants to talk to her about something, but just before Juri leaves Shiori begs for Juri to listen to her, so she obliges. Shiori says she broke up with the guy, saying, “hey I stole your man sorry bout that k please forgive me, we were such good friends, wanna get back together gal pal?” Juri storms off and we see a bird hit a window symbolizing how neither of them will ”fly freely” due to the toxic nature of their relationship. 

Juri admits to Shiori she never had feelings for the guy Shiori dated, causing Shiori to ask who’s in the pendant.

((In other words, which guy should I start dating now?))

Utena gets involved in this situation, Anthy standing on the sidelines and, despite knowing nothing about what’s happening between her and Shiori, she suggests Juri should forgive Shiori for whatever she did. 

Juri: You’re just like Shiori.

((So Shiori is bisexual and deeply closeted? Makes sense.))

Juri: so cruelly innocent…. Listen this is none of your business!

((Juri’s got a point, while Utena was well meaning in offering her advise, barging in while knowing zero details is rather presumptuous. It’s like someone offering advise to someone with depression saying “you should start exercising :)” in short not considering Juri’s point of view.))

Utena goes to Akio for advise…. which is a terrible idea for many reasons. Akio repeats Juri’s words, which considering later we’re shown Anthy tells Akio what Utena says to her, it can be safe to assume Akio pieced together that this is a habit of Utena’s based on Utena’s lack of understanding about Anthy, especially for the first arc of the series.

Juri takes a shower, and while in there makes a decision to throw her locket into the lake. This turns out to be a bad decision because Mikage or Mamiya takes it out to secretly give it to Shiori. 

Shiori goes to Mikage and admits to him that her feelings toward Juri are more complex than previously believed, as she was secretly jealous of Juri their entire friendship, going so far as to say Juri was only kind to her out of pity, she even admits that she dated that guy in middle school partly because she wanted to take something from her.

((I’ll admit this is the first show I’ve seen where a man is used as a prop to add complexity to the relationship between 2 female characters.))

She goes onto admit dating him only made her feel pathetic, but felt happy because she now “has the power” in their relationship because of Juri’s pining for her, only to suddenly throw down the locket and asks in a begging way why Juri has to feel that way about her.

((Ok Shiori having romantic feelings for Juri is clearer in this scene; she seems to have a realization as to why she’s so obsessed with Juri and with how Juri thought about her, and realizing if she accepts she has feelings for Juri in return, then that would mean giving up the “power” she has over her. In addition her idolization of Juri causes her to devalue herself, causing her to believe that even if she does accept these feelings and start a relationship with Juri then she’ll start realizing how “inferior” Shiori is and leave her. If Shiori keeps her feelings to herself, she believes, then Juri will always love forever finally giving Shiori the validation she’s always wanted.)) 

((Is Shiori’s actions around this manipulative as hell? Definitely! Is it worse than some of the actions the student council guys indulge in? Nope!))

Mikage: I see. Your only choice is to revolutionize the world.

((HOW???!!!))

Shiori’s brainwashed so now we get our uncomfortable “allegory to rape” scene, where Shiori reveals to Juri she knows how she feels about her.

Shiori: So pretty. I loved the look in your eyes when I hurt you.

((Yeah attraction and hated is Shiori’s lethal combination, which given Shiori’s constant desire for power over Juri, adds an extremely uncomfortable subtext that makes the Black Rose Arc so un-delightfully creepy.))

Shiori steals Juri’s sword and challenges Utena to a duel, leading to the shadow girls’ play. 

The play is about a girl freaking out over her “embarrassing secret” of wearing 3 pairs of wool underwear at once and another girl disregarding this fear saying everything will be fine. Utena says she should just get rid of “them” 

((The play is meant to symbolize Juri’s and Shiori’s fears over their attraction to each other and the other girl represents Utena, a character oblivious to how cruel the world is. The real Utena’s suggestion doesn’t work since both girls can’t disregard how they feel for each other.))

Utena heads to the dueling arena baffled to see Shiori there.

((I would be too if someone I met a day or two ago suddenly challenged me to a duel to kill my girlfriend/best friend/ fiancé.))

Shiori gives her “this isn’t a phase Utena, God!” spiel and they duel. Shiori, using Juri’s moves, can put up a surprisingly difficult fight but Utena, obviously, wins in the end.

((The birds in the duel arena are the same as the one that splattered on the window during Juri and Shiori’s first talk and only disappear after Shiori is unconscious, when she can stop thinking of Juri. The duel song, in addition, is about two an “infinitely opposing relationship” desperately seeking the other’s attention, reflecting how dependent the two girls are to each other.)) 

Mikage thinks some good can still come from his terrible plan, so he prepares for the next episode. 

The next day everything seemingly goes back to normal, with Utena remarking Shiori is a completely different person, while Anthy in her 5 billionth perceptive moment says Shiori hasn’t changed a bit, showing Utena’s willful ignorance blinds her to other’s negative motivations. 

The episode ends with Juri, despite feeling violated after Shiori attacked her, still unable to let go of her.


	18. Kids these days

The student council discuss the black rose crest duelists outside in the rain despite them being able to easily move the conversation about 10 feet to easily go indoors. Nanami asks why Miki and Juri are so serious about this, which doesn’t make sense given how pulling swords out of people is a very dangerous practice.

((Speaking of which, throughout the arc we see the student council reacting as though they’re in **excruciating** pain when swords are taken out of their chests, which begs the question of how numb is Anthy to pain considering she has a sword removed from her body in almost every episode up to this point?))

Mitsuru shows up to help Nanami her daily schedule, oblivious to the supernatural events the council is talking about. Miki and Juri are understandably wary of Mitsuru being up there, Nanami less so however when Mitsuru questions what they’re talking about Nanami dismisses him saying it’s “adult talk.”

((Nanami you are **at most** 3-4 years older than him, I’m sure he’ll easily call bullsh*t.))

Meanwhile Utena and Anthy are having a date in the rose garden

((Just let me dream part 2))

when Utena notices Nanami and Mitsuru walking by, remarking she wouldn’t last 3 days doing all the things Mitsuru does for Nanami

Anthy: I’m sure he does it because he enjoys it.

((Anthy, why would you assume that? We have someone working themselves to the point of physical and emotional exhaustion just to please someone they care about only said someone doesn’t care as long as they continue to do what they want when they want it…oh… I’m sad now.))

((Ok, Nanami’s not that bad, but she’s still in need of some major development.))

Elsewhere we have Mari, a friend of Mitsuru’s, trying to knock some sense into him and stop being Nanami’s servant.

Mari: Do you think you can make a girl like you just by being nice?

((Well it’s better than the strategies employed by 90% of the guys on this show, but I do see her point. You can’t force romantic feelings on someone, they’re either there or there aren’t, and any attempts to force them on someone only makes things awkward and scary for the other person. Very deep insights for an 11 year old.))

Mitsuru says he doesn’t care if Nanami returns his feelings he just wants to be close to her.  
((A certain blue-haired girl from a different dark and depressing anime would advise you otherwise.))

Mari thinks this is idiotic so he replies

Mitsuru: Don’t be such a know it all! You’re only a year older than me.

Mari: One year is still one year more mature.

((This is probably the most accurate portrayal of elementary schoolers I have ever seen on tv.))

Mitsuru does the most sensible thing to help the conversation and that is… to insult her physical appearance.

((Saionji, Touga, and Akio are all proud of this.))

Nanami witnessing this mature debate and feeling guilty being the cause of it, starts asking him if he has friends. After Mitsuru says he enjoys being around Nanami, she starts teasing him over Mari, asking if she’s his girlfriend.

((I actually really like this episode showing Nanami’s sweeter, albeit in a tsundere fashion, side. For all her demands, she does want him to have a life outside of hers.))

Back in the dorms, Mitsuru starts preparing to make Nanami’s lunch the next day, while Mari reinforces how Mitsuru has a snowball’s chance in hell with her comparing Nanami to a black widow.

((I commend Mari’s persistence. I have no desire for Mitsuru to gain “Nice Guy Syndrome.” Plus this relationship is rather unhealthy for Mitsuru in the first place.))

Mitsuru: (*picks up a banana*) If she just eats this, I’ll be satisfied.

((Ok, I laughed way harder than I should have.))

Mari’s one year of experience lets her in on the unintentional dick joke.

((It was the 90’s, maybe she’s one of the few who had the internet.))

Mitsuru: Do adults even eat chocolate?

((Me, an adult who eats some form of chocolate at least once a day: (*sheepishly*) yes…))

Mitsuru, having so little experience with romance decides against eating the chocolate on the grounds it would be an “indirect kiss.”

With the bento made, Mitsuru runs to Nanami. He walks to the courtyard and sees her and Mikage * **Gasp** * talking. Nanami declines his lunch in favor of going out to eat with Mikage, him inviting Nanami to his seminar.

((Run away girl! As fast as you can!))

Mikage also invites Mitsuru, both giving each other a menacing glare. This inspires Mitsuru to go to the library to study adulthood.

((If that worked we would have more well adjusted adults.))

Utena and Anthy see this and ask what’s going on. Mitsuru thinks two 14 year olds will know the secret to all that is adult, so he asks them to help solve his problem.

Utena says that it means you have experience in certain things and, judging by the reaction of the three background guys, it seems to carry some unintentional sexual innuendo.

Mitsuru: Have you done those things Miss Utena?

Anthy: There are a lot of adult things about us. Right Miss Utena?

((Anthy, thy name is troll.))

Utena: There are?

Anthy: Yes.

((As adorable as this entire scene if, it’s incredibly depressing in light of the “adult” things Akio makes Anthy do.))

Utena: Is dreaming about my prince weird?

Akio: *gasp*

((internally: Damn! My plan’s working quicker than I thought!))

Utena says she means she’s confused as to whether she’s a child or an adult saying she doesn’t know if she’s one or the other.

((This is probably the most accurate view of being a teenager that I’ve seen on a show. Utena’s just becoming a teenager, meaning she’s very much a child, but watching others grow up around her makes her feel as if she’s not maturing enough. And unfortunately such vulnerability in a confusing time is typically how adults like Akio are able to weasel themselves in and influence her, and other teens on the show like her.))

Akio says that with each passing year stars, and by extent people, lose what makes them brilliant.

Utena: Aren’t you shining at your brightest, Mr. chairman? What with your pretty wife and all.

Akio: Perhaps.

((Before writing this commentary I promised myself I would at least try to analyze Akio’s character beyond the, albeit very true, phrase, “he’s an asshole d*ck,” so… here goes nothing. Akio’s name is the Japanese form of Satan (no surprises there) a.k.a. the “morning star” so Akio’s statement of stars losing their brilliance with each passing year reflect his rationalizations for why he does the sh*tty things he does throughout the series. He controls Anthy and makes her stay in Ohtori because he needs her for her magical powers, not only for regaining his powers, but as a constant supply of immortality and supplemental godhood. Once Anthy leaves, Akio will be turned into an ordinary human gradually growing old and losing his brilliance, a fate that for someone as egotistical as him, he considers worse than dying outright.))

Mamiya and Mikage say some vague sh*t and question why Mamiya doesn’t seem to be anywhere Mikage isn’t.

Mikage picks Mitsuru as the next duelist something that even Mamiya is like “Hey! Whoa! Bad idea!”

((Given that this is Anthy saying that, I think the implication that since all the other members of the black rose duel are about her age Anthy has an easier time thinking of them as adults, the same kind who robbed her of her innocence, since she thinks of herself as an adult. Since Mitsuru is so young, Anthy doesn’t want him to be picked because she doesn’t what happened to her happen to him.))

In the…school movie theatre ((?)) Mitsuru watches a bunch of kissing for “research” when Mari shows up.

She tells him watching g-rated porn won’t make him “experienced” so he tries kissing her. Since Mari is, you know, 11 she slaps him and runs away. Nanami sees this so she goes over to the dorms to “help” Mitsuru by saying he’s just a kid and he’s fine the way he is now. Mitsuru, remembering Nanami with Mikage and his lack of “adult experience” doesn’t listen to her, so he goes over to the seminar.

((Mitsuru is going to Mikage for advise on how to deal with unrequited feelings…. What could possibly go wrong!?))

Mitsuru admits that he doesn’t want Nanami in a strictly platonic sense, and knows that she doesn’t want anything of that nature with him. He goes into feeling resentful over his friend Mari being more mature so he wants to be an adult so he can “wreck everything.”

((Well, now I know who invented reddit.))

Mikage: I understand. The path you must take has been prepared for you.

((Mikage: It is called the Internet. I have invented a new term; it is called the “friendzone.” It refers to stupid bitches who for some reason don’t want to be with superior, chivalrous nice guys such as ourselves.

Mitsuru: maybe it’s because you refer to them as stupid bitches.

Mikage:…. Forget it, I’m going to stab you in the heart with a rose.))

Mitsuru calls Nanami into the projection room, where he forcibly removes Nanami’s sword and dagger.

Mitsuru: And with this, I will be an adult.

((Jesus f*cking Christ child! So Mikage told him the way to adulthood is to take what you want from women! Teach this kid consent fast!!))

Mitsuru requests Utena to the dueling arena leading to the shadow girls’ play.

The play is a silly yet sweet story where a girl, through a series of misunderstandings, accidentally makes everyone think she’s had sex in order to become an adult. Instead she reveals she donated blood, in an act that shows consideration from others rather than focusing on getting freaky before she’s fully ready.

Utena heads to the dueling arena where Mitsuru is ready and willing to fight to win and kill Anthy. Once Utena realizes his threats are legit, for a 10 year old, the duel begins.

((Throughout the duel Mitsuru knocks over the items symbolizing childhood and says that in order to become an adult, he must take what he wants. This shows that rather than showing maturity, all these attempts do is distance Mitsuru from the very people he’s trying to impress, Mari and Nanami due to the entitled and assaulting nature of his actions.))

Utena wins the duel and Mitsuru falls into the fetal position, showing how for all Mitsuru’s determination to grow up, he is still a child.

((The duel song used demonstrates how Mitsuru will never be the ideal adult due to humans’ natural faults as demonstrated by the line “the limit of human potential.” “Both are frightened. My heart is pounding” shows how when as children one wants to become an adult, but once that reality sets in the anxieties related to becoming an adult begin to crash down quickly.))

The next day, Mitsuru goes to Nanami, acting as if nothing happened. Nanami looks at Mitsuru differently than before and starts blushing.

((Mitsuru does do one thing differently; he calls Nanami “sempai” offering a small polite distance between the two of them.))

Mari rushes over to tell Mitsuru to hurry up or he’ll be late, and he decides to oblige, running over to the elementary school, putting aside his desire to become an adult at least for a short while.

Nanami stops to look up at the sky and notes “It’s gonna be warm today.”

((Nanami’s encounter with Mitsuru has left her in an uncomfortable position, where she no longer views him as the innocent little kid from before and realizes their relationship will never be the same. At the same time she feels she can’t really do anything about it since it’s unkown how much of Mitsuru violating her personal boundaries was directly under the influence of the Black Rose.))  
 


	19. A Song for the Friendzoned

Our episode starts with Wakaba fantasizing about reuniting with a prince she was destined to be with.

((Dear God… one episode until Wakaba Flourishing. I’ll have to prepare the tissue boxes.))

 

On the lunch hilltop, Utena notices how Wakaba is much happier than usual.

((In retrospect the foreshadowing elements about Saionji are obvious.))

Wakaba lies and cheerfully says it’s because she made a big lunch for Utena.

Utena: Wakaba you must be the most normal girl I know.

((Two things:

1\. Utena, honey, if you genuinely believe her making lunch is the cause of her happiness, then you’re more oblivious than I thought.  
2\. “Innocent yet cruel” indeed, that phrase normal will bite back hard in the next episode.))

Utena: You’re gonna make someone a nice wife.

((It seems Utena’s bisexuality temporarily pried its way out of the closet.))

Before Wakaba can heterosexually feed Utena her octopus hot dogs, some random guy walks up to them.

((A guy so generic and unnecessary to the plot I completely forget his name even after it’s mentioned numerous times, sorry guy.))

Guy: Miss Utena! Please read this [letter]!

Wakaba snatches the letter, recognizing Guy’s name and remembering him from childhood as the Onion Prince.

((Cultural notes: Apparently in Japan, calling something an onion is like Americans calling something a lemon- shoddy at best, that poor bastard.))

Utena watches the two start chatting, and her roses spin in confusion.

((While Guy’s roses are white, indicating the “princely” status, Wakaba’s are brown. A trope often found in animation is to give the main characters exaggerated characteristics, hence the blonde haired blued eyed Japanese characters found in anime. At first the roses seem to reflect that trope, continuing the roses sharing hair color: Utena’s being pink, Anthy’s purple, Juri’s orange. However, given Wakaba’s status as the “normal” character it’s also likely it’s meant to show how within the grand scheme of the show, Wakaba’s the everygirl, the supporting role, a fact that will grow to haunt Wakaba in the next episode.))

Later that night Utena asks what’s up so she can return the letter, but Wakaba’s insistent to give it back herself. Wakaba says Utena should be careful around him since he’s been a smooth talker since they were young.

Wakaba: He’s a total playboy!

((A 5 year old playboy… what did he give girls flowers so he could ride on their swing set? How is that possible?))

Wakaba starts going on about how cruel he is, because he transferred away without telling her.

((I can understand why Wakaba never wants to see him after that, we can’t all be Juri.))

Wakaba flashes back to when they were kids and because she was bullied and called onion head, she’d call him the onion prince, saying he’d protect her, to his confusion.

((As adorable as that is, I can’t blame him for being confused.))

Utena seems to think this was a matter of fate, implying her heteronormativity goggles are acting up causing her to suspect there is mutual attraction between the two.

Guy starts showing up to Wakaba’s class… to chat with other girls.

((Jesus boy! At least acknowledge her presence!))

Wakaba gives Guy his letter back and says he’s not Utena’s type.

((Well he could have a chance if his skin magically became darker, dyed his hair purple, and changed his gender.))

Guy starts dismissing this as a result of Wakaba calling him the onion prince almost saying it’s stupid, unintentionally insulting Wakaba’s fondest childhood memories, something she calls him out on.

((As much as I want to sympathize with Guy, after all no one likes to be called shoddy, he pretty much left his “friend” in the dust without so much as a goodbye, so I can see why Wakaba is so upset.))

Guy doesn’t even pretend to look sympathetic and asks Wakaba to set him up with her best friend.

((A decision so crappy on his part I would be completely understanding if Wakaba just threw his love note back at him and walked away with both middle fingers raised.))

Wakaba, sweetheart that she is, decides, yes I will totally set up this dick with my deeply closeted best friend, and walks off.

Meanwhile with the student council, Juri calls out Miki for his obsession with Anthy, something Nanami also insults him for.

Miki: I envy you, Miss Nanami. Your desires are met by a kid in elementary school.

((I’m honestly shocked the meeting went on longer than this. That burn was so sick it gave the entire school the flu.))

Nanami shouts at him saying she’s just having fun and will only love Touga.

Juri says that all their problems could be solved and they’d be much happier if they loved a different person.

((*cough* hypocrite *cough*))

Miki and Nanami both look at Juri as though she grew two heads.

((Thanks, guys.))

Juri: As would I…

((And Anthy doesn’t learn this until the last episode…))

Utena goes with Anthy to Akio’s to get love advice.

((Leave! Now!))

Utena tells Akio everything that’s been going on in the episode saying those two haven’t been honest with each other and Akio’s response is…well….

Akio: The contents of a person’s heart are veiled, as though with thin silk.

Cuts to Anthy

Akio: You may think you can peer into it, but you can’t really. And people seldom understand the princes other people keep in their hearts….I hope you find your own prince soon Anthy.

Anthy: Yes, big brother.

((Damn there is a lot to unpack here. First of all, hearts being veiled, definitely Anthy’s M.O. not only to everyone at Ohtori for knowing a lot more about the inner workings of the rose bride duels, but to Akio himself, who Anthy uses passive aggressiveness in order to keep parts of herself hidden from him, namely how much she truly hates being the Rose Bride. ))

((As to the “prince” in her heart, it’s both Akio and Utena, Akio in the more literal sense, and Utena, as Akio doesn’t know the true extent of her bond with Utena until after the black rose duels. As for hoping Anthy will find her prince, what he’s actually hoping for is Utena having the prince qualities, enough for him to regain his power as Dios.))

Later, Wakaba asks Utena to pretend to be single so she can humor Guy, while Anthy watches Chu-Chu eat.

((No doubt Anthy’s planning Guy’s demise.))

Utena: All right then. I’m willing to do someone a favor.

Wakaba: What’s that mean?

((It means Utena’s going to pretend she doesn’t have a fiancé to help out with your nonexistent crush on Guy.))

Guy shows up late and is confused at Anthy’s presence. Anthy introduces Chu-Chu, who seems to be smitten with him.

((Anthy: Great he’s charmed my monkey… I guess I have no choice but to send him to Mikage.))

Wakaba acts pissed around him saying he’s always like that around girls and when called out on that she flashes back to when they were kids.

((As to why Wakaba sounds so angry about him being flirtatious with other girls, despite not actually harboring a crush on him, there is a simple explanation for that. Guy has already dismissed Wakaba’s memories about the onion prince, so to Wakaba him being flirty with girls is just another indicator of how what was originally an important childhood memory, was just a random day for Guy.))

The two of them refuse to tell each other what’s on their mind, causing Utena to sip her tea in frustration.

((Hetero miscommunication: filling God knows how many plotlines since the beginning of f*cking time.))

Guy: Miss Tenjou, are you going out with anyone?

Utena: No, I’m not, but…

((It’s less “going out” and more of a sword fighting long-term fiancé/booty call scenario.))

Utena mentions her rose ring, and when Guy mentions it must be nice for her to have a prince, Utena not so subtly nudges him to Wakaba.

((No doubt Anthy’s internally face palming.))

Wakaba: You’re wrong my prince is… my prince is…

((Currently expelled and living in my dorm.))

The two look at each other uncomfortably and Utena’s pink roses surrounding this imply we’re supposed to find this romantic.

((Ok, Utena, both parties are not good at communication, and Guy is even worse with his plan of hitting on a different girl. Wakaba hasn’t told you she has a crush on Guy so it’s best not to assume you know best. It’s like trying to jam two magnets together because you noticed both poles are north.))

Wakaba is so ticked off at Utena’s implication that she’s into Guy, that she runs away from this dinner conversation entirely, but Utena for some reason takes this as a victory.

((Utena: I made good decisions today.))

Utena all but tells Guy that Wakaba has a crush on him, and he admits that he had a crush on Wakaba this whole time and he came up with the ingenious plan of hitting on someone else to win her over.

((My eyes are rolling so far back in my head; I’m amazed they aren’t falling out.))

Utena: I guess I didn’t understand this, either.

((Yeah… I’d say that’s a fair assessment.))

Utena quotes Akio’s love advice from earlier and before I start vomiting the scene transitions to Utena and Anthy talking.

Anthy: Don’t worry. Romance either happens or it doesn’t.

((Translation: Utena, sweetie, I love you but please get your nose out of other people’s business.))

Utena opens her locker and sees a note from Wakaba, saying she’s mean.

Cue the shadow girls’ play!

The scene foreshadows what’s going to happen in the later scene with both parties telling each other what’s going on but neither of them understanding the other. Utena lends her brutal honesty leading to Guy learning the brutal truth of his situation.

In said next scene Guy walks up to Wakaba and through a brilliant use of double meaning the writers give us a scene where Guy tells Wakaba he knows there’s someone she likes, and asks her is she wants to know if he likes her back. Guy, of course, is referring to himself, while Wakaba takes it as him knowing about Saionji. Guy says that there’s a chance that “her prince” might return her feelings, so Wakaba asks if he could really know that for sure. Guy, assuming she’s referring to him, says yes, never saying he has feelings for her. Wakaba says she now knows she’s in love with her prince, and if God’s on her side he might notice her and will get a chance at happiness ((*sniff* *sniff*)). Once Guy confirms she will, Wakaba asks him if he can keep this a secret. Guy, assuming she wants a secret relationship says “sure.” Wakaba says she’s going to find happiness, and she hopes he’ll find someone to be happy with.

Wakaba: Well I’d better get going now! I can’t keep him waiting forever!

Guy: Who?

Wakaba: Who do you think?! My prince!

((Ok, I’m not going to lie, when I first saw this scene I thought for a second that Wakaba did have feelings for this guy, so when she essentially told him “bye bitch” I started laughing my ass off.))

After being dropkicked into the friend-zone, Guy meets up with Mikage.

((This is perfect for so many reasons.))

In a scene that causes me to whack my face into a wall, Guy goes on about how Wakaba is this totally perfect princess that needs to see how she belongs with a “Nice Guy” like him instead of this other guy who must be an asshole unworthy of her affections. Maybe *gasp* he’ll even try to have sex with her! She’ll still come back to him in the end, even though he never even told her about his feelings, and no doubt come back to him, and she totally belongs to him because he’s such a **Nice** (*groan*) **Guy**.

((To quote Todd in The Shadows, a guy who perfectly satirized this mindset: “I'm so sorry, I can't lie to you! You need to hear this! I realize it may be hard, but I have to do the right thing, and tell you the hard facts. You should be riding my dick and not his.” Replace you with Wakaba and that's the entire episode in a nutshell.))

((Ok, as much as I love to joke there is something more to this scene than the insufferable “I’m a Nice Guy” spiel. In the background the picture on the wall that usually changes from a butterfly, to a caterpillar, then finally a leaf, signifying deeper, underlying issues, doesn’t change for Guy. In other words this is just a brief heartache over an otherwise cheerful existence. I think this is what causes me to not sympathize with him through the episode.))

Mikage: You are truly a good person.

((Mikage: I mean, when I found out my crush liked another guy a killed 100 people, so I’d say you’re handling this very well.))

Mikage says Guy doesn’t belong as a black Rose duelist saying:

“This is no place for someone like you”

((Mikage: I do know a group I found on the internet that’s perfect for guys like us. See they’re called incels…))

The episode ends with Wakaba entering her dorm room and we find out who her prince is.

It’s Saionji.

((…….Ok Guy may have had a point, but it’s still pretty presumptuous for him to assume she’d want to be with him once she realized Saionji’s an asshole.))

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed it. Feel free to comment or leave kudos.


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